To Tread Lightning
by SkyWarrior108
Summary: DISCONTINUED. What if Azula hadn't lost her mind? How different would the outcome of the war have been? Azula/Ty Lee, Katara/Aang, Sokka/Suki, implied Zuko/Mai. Response to AnimeFanGirlWrites4ever's challenge.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_. However, I do own this story. Enjoy!

**Author's note:** This story is in response to a challenge set forth by AnimeFanGirlWrites4ever: What if Azula hadn't gone crazy in the final episode? What if she didn't banish everyone, and Zuko and Katara arrived to a whole nation rather than a few people?

Since Mai and Ty Lee's betrayal at the Boiling Rock was a pivotal moment in Azula's life and, in my opinion, triggered her instability, my story starts right before this point in time.

* * *

**Prologue**

"Leave us alone," Azula ordered.

The guards obeyed and let go of Mai's shoulder. They respectfully bowed to their princess before walking away. Mai brought her gaze to meet Azula's.

"I never expected this from you," Azula began, her temper beginning to flare.

Ty Lee noticed the shift in Azula's aura and knew nothing good ever came about when her princess was like this. She clasped her hands and stared at Mai for a moment before looking back at Azula with a frightened expression.

"The thing I don't understand is why," Azula continued. "Why would you do it? You know the consequences."

She glared at Mai then, furious that she would do this—to act so foolishly. There was no way she could get Mai out of this, despite being the Fire Nation Princess.

"I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated," Mai said and the words cut through Azula's pride as sharply as one of the assassin's knives would. "I love Zuko more than I fear you."

Mai's declaration felt like a punch in the gut. It was always about Zuko. First her mother, now her friend. Azula's face scrunched up in fury, and for a moment she lost the tight control she normally had on her emotions. "No, you miscalculated! You should have feared me more!"

The firebender, fueled by pure rage, dropped into a firebending stance. Mai knew Azula would probably react like this, but given the chance to do it again, she would. She loved Zuko and would not watch him die, even though it meant possible death at the hands of her princess. With a calmness she shouldn't have felt, Mai brought her stiletto up, the weapon glinting under the sunlight.

But Ty Lee saw something then in Azula's aura that she had never noticed before but realized had been running under the surface—she was hurting inside. Her decision was made.

With a quickness that nobody saw coming, Ty Lee delivered a series of punches to Mai's torso, knocking the weapons mistress to the ground. Ty Lee's sudden attack was enough to give Azula pause, and she lowered her arms to her sides.

Mai looked up at her friend, stunned. Ty Lee gazed down at her, her charcoal eyes communicating what she could not say in words. _"This is the only way I can save both of you."_ Mai's face remained expressionless, but Ty Lee knew she understood. Mai had done what she needed to do to save Zuko, now Ty Lee would do what she needed to do to save Azula.

The acrobat gracefully turned and stepped beside Azula, showing none of the inner turmoil that she felt. The princess's cold mask was back in place, her initial surge of rage having passed. She was still angry with Mai, but Ty Lee had handled the situation before she had time to get off an attack.

"You're a fool, Mai," Azula said coldly. "Guards!"

"Yes, Princess?" one of them asked as they approached the gondola platform.

"Lock her up for helping prisoners and enemies of the Fire Nation escape."

* * *

"How could Mai do this?" Azula fumed. "How could she choose Zuko over m—her own country?"

Ty Lee caught Azula's slip. She knew the princess viewed Mai's actions as an act of betrayal, and that Azula took it personally. She had to get the firebender to understand somehow, otherwise Mai's betrayal would continue to gnaw at her spirit.

"She told you why. She loves Zuko," Ty Lee explained gently, taking a seat beside her friend, who was seated on her bed in the airship's cabin.

"It's always about Zuko!" Azula snapped, startling Ty Lee a bit. "He ruins everything!"

"What do you mean?" Ty Lee had never seen Azula this upset before.

"Everything was going fine. We were a team, the three of us. Then he came along."

"But, Azula. You set them up, remember?" Ty Lee tried to reason with her. "You were the one who convinced him to fight alongside you in Ba Sing Se."

Azula knew Ty Lee was right, but she was simply too angry to listen to reason. She continued to sit there seething. Ty Lee hesitantly placed a comforting hand on her princess's arm. Azula allowed it, and some of her anger dissipated.

Running beneath all that anger was fear. Fear of betrayal. Fear of abandonment. Mai's betrayal brought up memories of her mother that she had tried so hard to push away. _"I love Zuko more than I fear you."_ To Azula that meant, _"I love Zuko more than you."_ Just like her mother.

Azula sighed. She was hurting and she didn't know the first thing to do to stop it. The only thing that seemed to help was the presence of the acrobat sitting beside her. _"What if she leaves me too?"_

"Azula," Ty Lee began softly. "I'm worried about you. I've never seen you this upset before."

Ty Lee often worried about Azula. There was so much pressure put on her by her father to be perfect in everything she did. It was a lot of responsibility for someone so young. For as strong as her friend was, she wondered how long she could hold up under the weight of what was expected of her.

Azula went to open her mouth to say something, but then thought better of it. She never expressed her doubts or things that hurt her, save that one time on Ember Island when she slipped.

"Do you want me to help you with your armor?" the acrobat asked, hoping a change in topic would help.

Azula shook her head. "Leave it. I'll have to meet with my father as soon as we arrive back at the capital. He's not going to be happy with this recent turn of events."

Ty Lee frowned a bit. "Is he still mad about what happened after the Day of Black Sun?"

"Yes. And I think if it weren't for everything I've achieved in his name, I'd have a scar to match Zuko's," Azula explained dryly, causing Ty Lee to shudder a bit.

Azula's temper flared again. "See! This is exactly what I'm talking about. Zuko ruins everything. I gave him a chance to regain his honor, to return home. I let him share in the glory of conquering of Ba Sing Se. I gave him credit for slaying the Avatar. And how does he repay me? By throwing it all back in my face!"

"Azula, please calm down," Ty Lee encouraged her. She brought her hand to the firebender's back and began to move her hand in a soothing pattern. She could feel the tension in the girl's body.

Ty Lee was right; she needed to keep her head, especially since she would be in her father's presence soon. The princess deepened her breathing, calming herself down. The acrobat's touch seemed to help as well.

There was a knock on the cabin door. "Princess, we're about to make landing."

Azula easily got up to stand and strode to the doorway. Turning back, she looked at Ty Lee. "Wait for me in my chambers at the palace."

* * *

Azula entered the throne room and bowed low before the Fire Lord—her father. Her face practically touched the cool marble floor as the roar of the fire that surrounded her father's throne filled her ears. She could feel his anger emanating almost as strongly as the heat from the flames.

"Azula," he said. She could tell he wasn't happy. Keeping her face an emotionless mask, she sat back on her heels and gazed up at her father. "I understand that your brother was allowed to escape, using one of your airships no less."

She remained quiet. There was no excuse and she wasn't exactly in the mood to lie—not after what happened the last time she lied to her father.

"You're getting too complacent, Azula. Perhaps a reminder is in order."

The Fire Lord rose from his throne and walked down the steps to stand before his daughter.

"Get up," he growled. She did as she was told, continuing to look him directly in the eye.

* * *

Ty Lee patiently waited for Azula in the princess's chambers. She occupied herself by balancing on her hands, alternating between each one. She was worried about Mai, but hoped she was being well taken care of—well, as well as a prisoner could be taken care of. There were some advantages to be had by having an uncle as the warden.

But she was even more worried about Azula. The princess had been gone for several hours, and the servants weren't able to tell her anything.

Eventually, Ty Lee's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the heavy door opening. Looking up, she saw Azula walk in. Her hair was down from its usual topknot and she looked exhausted.

"Azula!" Ty Lee exclaimed as she got back onto her feet and ran over to her friend. Her armor was charred and there was a burn on her left forearm. She gasped. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Azula muttered, walking past the acrobat and over to her bed.

"What happened?" Ty Lee asked worriedly, following her.

"Father felt it was necessary to test my battle prowess," was all Azula would say. Ty Lee could tell from the firebender's tone that the topic was not up for further discussion.

Instead, the acrobat carefully removed Azula's armor. The princess didn't object. The servants could have just as easily been doing this, but she preferred Ty Lee's presence. Ever so slowly, she gently pulled away the charred sleave over Azula's left arm before cleaning and bandaging the wound.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" she asked, her gray eyes filled with concern.

"No."

They sat in silence for several moments before the firebender finally spoke again.

"Ty Lee, I need to ask you something," Azula began. "Why did you strike down Mai? Don't you consider her a friend?"

"Of course I consider her a friend, as I do you. That's exactly why I struck her down," Ty Lee explained.

Azula gave her a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"I couldn't stand by and watch my two best friends fight like that. Azula, you were about to kill her. You've never killed anyone in your life. I know you were upset, but I couldn't let you do that to yourself or to Mai."

"Mai made her choice. She chose Zuko—a traitor. That makes her a traitor."

Ty Lee sighed. Azula just wasn't getting it.

"I would have done the same thing," Ty Lee said simply.

"What?" Azula narrowed her eyes at the acrobat. "What do you mean you would have done the same thing?"

"If it were you on that gondola instead of Zuko, I would have done exactly what Mai did," Ty Lee said, wondering if Azula would finally get it through her head.

Amber eyes widened slightly in surprise at her friend's admission. "Why would you do that, Ty Lee?" she asked, suspicious. _"It's not just loyalty, and she certainly doesn't fear me."_

"I would have hoped you'd figured it out by now, Azula," was all the acrobat could bring herself to say before getting up to go back to her room, leaving the princess to her own thoughts.


	2. Chapter 1: The Phoenix King

**Author's Note:** Some parts of this chapter are going to look really familiar to most of you, as I draw a lot on cannon, but this is only to set up what is to come.

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Phoenix King**

It was dusk when the two palanquins moved through the Fire Nation's Royal Plaza, which was filled with Fire Nation citizens bowing down to their Fire Lord and Fire Princess. The lead palanquin was much larger and more ornate than the second, and was decorated with a golden phoenix. Inside was Ozai sans crown. Azula rode in the smaller, more traditional royal palanquin.

The Fire Lord arrived at the port first. His servants pulled away the curtains, allowing him to exit. He strode past his Imperial Firebenders and up the steps, leaving the plaza behind.

Short moments later, Azula exited her palanquin and easily climbed the steps, kneeling behind her father and keeping her eyes low.

"Is everything ready for our departure, Father?" Azula asked, turning her head to the side to look at the waiting airship fleet.

"There has been a change of plans, Azula," the Fire Lord began, keeping his back to her.

She slowly turned her head back to look at her father, not showing the surprise she felt. "Oh?" she asked simply.

"I've decided to lead the fleet of airships to Ba Sing Se alone. You will remain here in the Fire Nation."

"I see," she said, clenching her jaw and trying not to lose control of her temper. "So what are your plans for me?"

The Fire Lord smiled slightly to himself before speaking.

"I need you here to watch over the homeland. It's a very important job that I can only entrust to you."

"_So now he's patronizing me,"_ Azula thought to herself, realizing that she was still being punished over what happened with Zuko. She remained silent.

"For your loyalty," he continued, now turning to face his daughter, "I've decided to declare you the new Fire Lord."

"_Fire Lord Azula,"_ she thought. _"Maybe this isn't so bad. Wait, there has to be more to this."_ She looked up at him. "Thank you, Father. But what about you?"

"Fire Lord Ozai is no more. Just as the world will be reborn in fire, I shall be reborn as the supreme ruler of the world." As he spoke, a Fire Sage placed a phoenix helmet on his head. "From this moment on, I will be known as," he raised his arms proudly, "the Phoenix King!"

A large maroon phoenix motif banner was raised behind him then. A line of soldiers holding red Fire Lord banners stood tall as another line of soldiers standing in front of them brought up the new maroon Phoenix King banners.

Two firebenders poised beside a giant urn at the bottom of a pillar before firebending two openings at the side of the urn, causing the top of the pillar to light up with fire.

With a mixture of awe and confusion, the citizens bowed down before their newly transformed leader. Azula, who had remained kneeling in front of her father, kept her face a neutral mask.

The pillars on each side of the Phoenix King banner lit up then, coming to resemble a pair of phoenix wings. Ozai was now in his full phoenix armor grinning devilishly.

* * *

Ty Lee had been amongst the crowd that gathered to watch the Fire Nation military depart from the capital. She heard Fire Lord Ozai name Azula the new Fire Lord and watched as he declared himself the Phoenix King.

Many of the citizens, including Ty Lee, didn't know exactly what to think of this. Were they still Fire Nation or something else? They knew better than to voice those questions for the time being. Either way, their allegiance was still to Ozai and Azula, regardless of whatever titles they held.

Inwardly, Ty Lee found herself glad that Azula was staying home. She didn't want her to take part in the impending invasion that the Fire Lord was leading upon the Earth Kingdom. She was horrified at what they were planning on doing—harnessing the comet's power to burn the continent to the ground.

After the newly anointed Phoenix King and the fleet of airships departed, Azula turned to face her people, her eyes landing on Ty Lee for a moment before gazing straight ahead. The head of the Fire Sages glanced at her and she nodded. He stepped forward to address the crowd.

"Citizens of the Fire Nation! Tomorrow evening, an hour before the arrival of Sozin's Comet, Princess Azula will be crowned as your new Fire Lord."

The crowd broke into a cheer then, and the anger Azula felt over being left behind started to ebb. With a gracefulness befitting her royal status, she descended the steps to where her servants waited, holding back the veil of her palanquin. Stepping inside, she took a seat and closed her eyes as the servants carried her back to the palace.

* * *

"You summoned me, my lord," Ty Lee said with a smile and half bow as she entered Azula's chambers. "Or should I still call you princess?" she asked looking up before jumping into Azula's arms and kissing her soundly.

Azula smirked. "I like the sound of 'my lord,' but I suppose that will have to wait until tomorrow."

"I'm glad you're not going with your dad," Ty Lee admitted softly, still holding onto the firebender.

"I'm not. My father's still punishing me," Azula said, pulling away from the acrobat.

"Punishing you? But he named you Fire Lord."

"He's leaving me behind," she said, trying to ignore the sting of her father's rejection. "We were supposed to lead this invasion together. It was my idea to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground."

"It was your idea?" Ty Lee asked, shocked and more than a little disturbed. "Do you realize how many people are going to die because of that? How could you even suggest something like that?"

"Because it's what my father expected of me!" Azula shouted, causing Ty Lee to flinch.

She was tired and her head was swimming. It felt like everyone she cared about had abandoned her. Everyone except Ty Lee.

Azula sighed heavily, taking a seat in front of her vanity. Ty Lee wordlessly walked behind her and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, placing a soft kiss on her head.

"Ty Lee, please don't leave me," Azula murmured. Ty Lee smiled at her words.

"I'm not going anywhere, Azula," the acrobat replied, squeezing Azula a little tighter and causing Azula to stiffen. She hadn't meant to say those words out loud.

Sensing Azula's sudden discomfort, Ty Lee pulled out the golden hairpin that held the firebender's hair up in a topknot, letting the black strands fall loosely down her back. The acrobat then picked up a nearby hairbrush and began to run it through Azula's raven tresses in an attempt to relax her.

"So now that you'll be Fire Lord, will you still wear your hair up in a topknot, or will you start to wear it down?"

"I hadn't really thought about it," Azula said absently, thoroughly enjoying Ty Lee's attentions.

"I always liked your hair down. It makes you look older," the acrobat said, spending several more minutes combing through Azula's hair before placing the brush back down on the vanity. "Come on, princess. Time for you to get your beauty rest. Your coronation is tomorrow."

Knowing Ty Lee was right, Azula allowed herself to be led over to her bed.

"Do you want me to stay?" Ty Lee asked shyly. Things like sleepovers had taken on a whole new meaning in the last two weeks.

"What do you think?" Azula asked with that half smile that made Ty Lee's heart race.

* * *

"Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord," Zuko said as the group gathered around to eat their breakfast.

"You mean the Fire Lord," Toph interrupted, pointing her chopsticks at him.

"That's what I just said," Zuko replied. Toph shrugged and resumed eating.

"Hmm…" Iroh said thoughtfully.

"We need you to come with us," Zuko finished.

"No, Zuko. It won't turn out well."

"You can beat him and we'll be there to help," Zuko insisted, gesturing to his friends.

"Even if I did defeat Ozai—and I don't know that I could—it will be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence—a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord."

"And then… then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?"

"No. Someone new must take the throne—an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. It has to be you, Prince Zuko," Iroh told his surprised nephew.

"Unquestionable honor? But I've made so many mistakes," he argued.

"Yes, you have. You struggled, you suffered, but you have always followed your own path. You restored your own honor. And only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation," he explained.

"I'll try, Uncle."

"Well, what if Aang doesn't come back?" Toph asked.

"Sozin's Comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord. When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation so the Earth Kingdom can be free again."

"That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus," Suki realized.

"Yes," Iroh said with a nod. "Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there, waiting for you."

"I can handle Azula," he replied confidently.

"Not alone. You'll need help."

"You're right," he agreed before looking over at Katara. "Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?"

"It would be my pleasure," she said with smile.

"What about us?" Sokka asked. "What's our destiny today?"

"What do you think it is?" Iroh replied.

"I think that…" Sokka began, thoughtfully, "even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet."

"And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us," Toph finished.

* * *

The next morning, the gang gathered together for what could prove to be the last time if they were not successful in their respective missions.

"So if I'm going to be Fire Lord after the war is over, what are you going to do?" Zuko asked his uncle as he and Katara were preparing to depart.

"After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to re-conquer my tea shop, and I'm going to play Pai Sho everyday," Iroh replied, flipping a white lotus tile up in the air before catching it and tucking it away.

Zuko smiled at him before climbing up onto Appa's head.

"Goodbye, General Iroh," Katara called down from the sky bison's saddle.

"Goodbye, everyone," Iroh said before glancing up at his nephew once more. "Today, destiny is our friend. I know it."


	3. Chapter 2: Fire Lord Azula

**Chapter 2: Fire Lord Azula**

Sozin's Comet began its journey towards the planet, giving the sky an ominous orange-red glow. It was a symbol of the potential destruction the Fire Nation could unleash upon the world on this day.

Two master benders, one of water and one of fire, were determined to do whatever they could to prevent that destruction from taking place.

"Zuko, don't worry. We can take Azula," Katara said.

"I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about Aang. What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my father? What if he loses?"

"Aang won't lose. He's going to come back. He has to."

Zuko smiled and shook his head slightly.

"What?" Katara asked.

"You have so much faith in him. I guess I shouldn't worry so much."

* * *

Princess Azula sat in the royal spa surrounded by three servants, who were busy grooming her in preparation for her coronation as Fire Lord. One sat on her knees, dutifully scrubbing Azula's feet, while another manicured her fingernails. The oldest of the three gently ran a brush through the princess's long, black hair. Azula closed her eyes and let her mind float back to the previous evening when it had been Ty Lee brushing her hair.

Azula would never admit it, but she had come to rely on Ty Lee's quiet support more than ever over the past two weeks. She knew she had Li and Lo to advise her in political matters and that they cared for her in their own, almost grandmotherly way, but Ty Lee offered more to the prodigy than she ever thought possible. And it was effortless on the part of the acrobat, making it all the more comforting to Azula.

Things were different now that her father was gone. At first, Azula found it strange to have the run of the whole place, but she was very much enjoying it. The energy was definitely less oppressive. Best of all, she no longer had to be discreet about her relationship with Ty Lee, although she was certain her father had a good idea what was going on.

Azula wondered what would become of the Phoenix King once he annihilated the Earth Kingdom. Would he build a new palace to live in? Where would it be? Would he form a new, solitary nation no longer called the Fire Nation? She realized she knew very little of her father's plans post-war, but knew that he always planned ahead. After all, she picked that trait up from him.

It dawned on her that the power that normally came with the title of Fire Lord would most likely become diminished upon his return from battle. She would still be bound to serve him. But she knew this would never change until the day he died. That was perhaps the one thing she envied about her brother. Well, that and the fact that their mother loved him more.

Azula mentally shook her head. Today was supposed to be a day of celebration. It was _her_ day, and she would not let anything disrupt that.

* * *

The soon-to-be Fire Lord walked tall through the main hall of the Coronation Temple. She wore the long, deep red robes her father had once worn, but had now been fitted for her frame. Most of her hair was down, with a only small section pulled up into a topknot where her crown would go. She was a picture of regal perfection.

"You look beautiful, Azula," Ty Lee said with awe as the firebender came into view.

"So do you," Azula complemented her lover, causing her to blush. The acrobat wore a traditional red gown for the occasion that covered more skin, but still hugged appreciatively against her curves.

The voices of Li and Lo drifted inside as the doors that led to the dais were opened. The Fire Sages entered and bowed before Azula. The head sage rose up then and gestured for the princess to proceed through the doorway.

After sharing a brief smile with Ty Lee, Azula stepped through the doors and out to the waiting crowd.

* * *

"Zuko, what's going on?" Katara asked as they neared the capital. "All the citizens are gathered down there."

"That better not be what I think it is," he replied, scrunching his face in confusion. Reaching back into his saddle bag, he rummaged for his spyglass. Finding what he was searching for, he brought the instrument up to his eye and looked out over to the Coronation Plaza. "It's a coronation ceremony," he said, surprised.

"Coronation?" Katara asked, confused.

"It's Azula," he realized.

"I don't understand."

"Somehow she's being made Fire Lord."

"What about your father?"

"I have no idea. Either way, we have to stop this."

Just as Zuko said those words, massive fireballs—enhanced by the comet—were launched up at them, causing Katara to pull up on Appa's reigns as they barely avoided the attack.

"Imperial Firebenders!" Zuko shouted. "Katara, move Appa over there," he said, pointing just below the south end of the Coronation Plaza, where several buildings with flat rooftops sat. "We can jump down there and try to make our way into the plaza and to Azula."

Narrowly avoiding the streams of fire directed at them, Katara safely made it to where Zuko had directed her and the pair jumped off, as the sky bison flew off to a, hopefully, safer place.

* * *

As Azula knelt down on the dais, she noticed the Avatar's sky bison approaching the capital. She knew the Avatar himself wouldn't be here. It could only be one person, she realized. Zuko.

With the comet fast approaching, she could feel her own power grow stronger and the thrill of a potential showdown with her brother excited her. Forcing herself to focus on the present, she brought her attention to the immediacy of the ceremony at hand.

"By decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lord Azula!" the head Fire Sage declared as he placed the Fire Lord diadem into Azula's topknot, pinning it into place.

Azula stood then, gazing out into the crowd. She had lost sight of the sky bison, but saw a group of Imperial Firebenders heading toward the south end of the plaza.

"All hail Fire Lord Azula!" the sage commanded and the crowd roared.

* * *

The sage's declaration and subsequent sounds of the people's cheers filled Zuko's ears and he cringed. He and Katara quickly ducked inside a building to hide from the firebenders who were in hot pursuit. They had managed to evade them for the time being.

"How are we going to get to Azula?" Katara turned to ask him. "There are soldiers everywhere, and we have to be careful not to harm any of the citizens."

Zuko sighed. They had not planned this out very well, but he had always tended to jump into things without thinking ahead. Somehow, it always worked out. _"Today, destiny is our friend,"_ his uncle's words echoed in his mind.

"We have to wait. If this coronation is held the same way that my father's was, all the citizen's will gather inside the temple upon completion of the ceremony. Azula's already been crowned Fire Lord, so we shouldn't have to wait long."

"But what about Azula? Would she go back into the temple?"

"She could, but knowing her, I don't think she will. She knows we're here, and she and I have unfinished business."

The pair sat in silence for several moments, simply waiting for their time to strike. Zuko could feel his energy increasing a hundred-fold. Then he realized what they were going up against.

"Katara, let me handle the Imperial Guards."

"What? Why?"

"I know you are a master waterbender, but these are elite firebenders we're talking about, who have comet-enhanced abilities."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Katara asked.

"The Dai Li is still loyal to my sister," was all he had to say, and Katara understood.

As the sounds of the crowd died down, Zuko spared a glance out the window. He saw that the citizens were now beginning to move inside the temple at the north end of the plaza. He turned to look back at Katara. "Ready to help me take back the crown that's rightfully mine?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Katara replied with a determined expression.

"Let's do this," Zuko said with a nod, and the pair came out to face Azula's soldiers.

* * *

Fire Lord Azula stood on the dais watching the battle begin to form before her. She knew Zuko had seen the crown he coveted placed upon her head, and a satisfied smile came to her lips.


	4. Chapter 3: The Sky's Cruel Torch

**Chapter 3: The Sky's Cruel Torch**

Katara and Zuko were met with a blast of heat as they came into the view of the Imperial Firebenders. With a swift kick, Zuko easily deflected the streams of fire directed at them, before countering with a charged attack of his own. It was a mammoth blast that dwarfed the enhanced flames of the guards—indicating his prowess as a master bender. Zuko had to reign in his excitement over the pure power he felt while bending. It was incredible—unlike anything he had ever felt before—but he would need to stay focused on the battle.

Dozens of guards had rushed into the plaza along with a troop of Dai Li. Katara tried to push down the feeling of panic that was threatening to rise up in her. This did not look good. She watched as Zuko stepped forward and thrust his arms out, sending forth a massive stream of fire at the closest group of guards.

"_We can do this,"_ she thought to herself. _"Zuko is more powerful than any of them."_

Determined, she bent the water from her waterskin and focused on her nearest opponent, knocking her down with a water whip to the head. Katara then noticed that along either side of the Coronation Plaza were two fountains. If she could just get closer to one of them, she'd stand a better chance against the firebenders and the earthbenders.

Zuko spared a glance up to the dais where he noted, somewhat gratefully, that Azula had stayed. Her golden eyes were locked on the battle, and he saw the cold calculation in them. In the past, that look made him extremely nervous, but he was no longer the boy he used to be. He was confident. He was a master. And he would no longer let his sister intimidate him.

* * *

The Fire Lord continued to watch as the pair slowly pushed through the defenses and moved closer to the center of the plaza. Before her was an awesome display of firebending, and Zuko seemed to be more than holding his own against her Imperial Firebenders. The waterbender was also proving to be quite a match for her Dai Li agents.

Azula never had a problem letting her servants fight for her, especially against Zuko. She found during her pursuit of him in the Earth Kingdom that it served to infuriate her brother even more.

But now it was personal, and there was only so long she would stand back and watch, especially with the power the comet infused her with. He had betrayed her—thrown her generosity back in her face like it was nothing—and caused one of her friends and allies to act against her, and she was not about to let him take her throne.

* * *

Despite taking on nearly two dozen Imperial Guards, Zuko looked no worse for wear. His skill was unmatched by all firebenders present, save one. And that firebender was now walking down the steps of the dais, gracefully removing her robes to reveal her black armor and battledress.

He noticed there was something different about Azula. The usual look of self-assured arrogance was still there, but there was something else. He had never seen her look so determined and focused in the entire time he had known her. This wasn't good, he realized.

"So nice of you to come to my coronation, Zuzu," she said with a false sweetness, as the remaining Imperial Guards gave their Fire Lord space to deal with the traitor personally.

"That crown belongs to me," he retorted.

She laughed coldly as she dropped into her firebending stance. "Does it now?" she asked, sending a massive blue firebomb towards his head.

With a quick jab, he blocked the firebomb by shooting out one of his own, and the two balls exploded in a mixture of purple flames. Zuko then followed with a spinning kick, sending a blazing arc down on Azula.

She deftly moved to her left, avoiding the attack, and spun her leg out, sending an azure ring at his legs. Zuko jumped up and brought both of his hands together, slicing them down through the air as he landed, creating another powerful arcing attack.

Azula threw up a wall of flame, easily blocking the fire. _"His skills have improved greatly. He's not afraid to face me head on anymore."_ She knew that Zuko was not to be taken lightly. He was proving to be her match. Somehow, she needed to get the upper hand. She had the added security of knowing there were reinforcements—her guards and Dai Li agents—but she felt compelled to defeat Zuko herself.

Blue flames shot out from her feet as Azula propelled herself towards him using jet propulsion. Zuko stood his ground and sent forth a giant stream of fire at his sister. She had anticipated this and just as the flames were about to reach her, she used her jets to launch herself up into the air. Drawing her energy in, she tucked into her body as she came back down to earth, before kicking both legs out at Zuko and sending more fire his way.

He barely blocked the flame in time, and part of his sleeve caught on fire before he was able to absorb the attack completely. Taking a deep breath, he glared at his sister, who was still wearing that ever-present smirk. The fight would go on.

* * *

The intensity of the heat in the plaza from Zuko and Azula's duel was getting to Katara. It would have inspired awe in her if it weren't so deadly. Not to mention that her hands were currently too full to actually watch the display of ferocious firebending.

A pair of Dai Li launched rock gloves at Katara, which she blocked with an ice shield. Transforming the ice back into water, she then sent forth water jets in their direction, striking them in the chest and causing them to stumble back. Gathering more water, she formed it around her arms, allowing her element to become an extension of herself.

The ground beneath her began to shift, and she turned to see a dozen more Dai Li in earthbending stances. A chunk of the plaza floor beneath her shot up then, and Katara narrowly avoided it. The earth continued to be manipulated beneath her by several Dai Li—blocks of rock levitating up—while other agents continued their frontal assault.

Using the water around her arms, she was able to block the frontal attacks, while continually using her legs to dance around the uprooted surface of the plaza. Katara finally found an opening, and shot off several water bullets from her arms, knocking down the trio of agents standing directly in front of one of the fountains.

Moving the water down to her legs, she propelled herself forward and landed inside the fountain. Before the remaining Dai Li were able to create a fissure in the fountain's stone, Katara raised her arms, lifting the water beneath her as if like a wave before sending it forth and freezing the ground beneath them, causing the agents to lose their connection to the earth as they slipped and fell to the earth.

Katara spared a glance further up the plaza to see that Zuko was still in full out battle with Azula. She hoped Zuko could continue to hold his own, seeing as she was otherwise occupied. Several Imperial Firebenders had now brought their attention to her.

The waterbender found herself in a difficult position. It would only be a matter of minutes before the firebenders would melt the ice she had created, allowing the Dai Li to regain their footing. She had just enough time to deliver killing blows to the agents before that happened. But she found herself torn. If she couldn't kill the man who murdered her mother, how was she going to do it now?

"_This is a war, Katara. There are sacrifices that have to be made for the greater good. If you don't kill them, they will kill you. People are counting on you to help Zuko defeat Azula,"_ Katara thought to herself.

With a heavy heart, she formed the water around her into ice daggers and prepared to send them into the hearts of the fallen Dai Li agents before her.

A shooting pain shot through her back and the ice daggers fell to the earth, shattering upon impact. Katara felt another blow at her neck, and her world went black.

* * *

Out of the corner of her eye, Azula saw the waterbender fall to the earth and smiled to herself. Ty Lee had just delivered the paralyzing blows to the girl, and Katara had never seen it coming.

"I always knew waterbenders were weak," Azula commented, cocking her head in Katara's direction, her smile growing wider as she tried to bait her brother.

Zuko turned to see the Dai Li surrounding Katara's motionless body before roughly pinning her arms and legs behind her back, chaining them together.

"No!" he shouted, almost forgetting that he was in midst of battle with Azula.

Taking advantage of his momentary state of distraction due to distress over Katara's condition, Azula charged up for a lightning attack. As she brought her fingers out to direct the current, Zuko caught sight of the cold-blooded fire coming at him.

Holding his fingers out, he attempted to grab onto the electricity before it could strike him. He felt the violent power fill him, but he was unable to control all of it. He hadn't had enough time to take on the entire attack, and couldn't gather it all at his stomach, allowing some of the lightning to enter his heart.

He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound would come. His entire body tensed—jolted with electricity—before he fell to the plaza floor with a dull thud.


	5. Chapter 4: Bless the Martyrs

**Chapter 4: Bless the Martyrs**

Time seemed to stand still for the Fire Lord as she watched her brother's charred body lying motionless on the plaza floor. After the fiery explosiveness that had just taken place in the plaza moments before, the quiet that had now settled was almost disconcerting.

Four Imperial Guards surrounded the fallen ex-prince. One knelt down to examine his body.

"Fire Lord Azula," he began, keeping his gaze lowered in respect. "He is still alive, barely."

Time started to move again at its normal pace as Azula felt the breath in her body moving once more. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ty Lee cautiously moving closer to her, but her own gaze never wavered from the one who lay before her.

"What will you have us do with him?" the guard asked.

"What we do with all traitors," Azula replied evenly, her voice and expression betraying no emotion. With that, she turned her back on the scene and began to walk up the dais steps and returned to the temple with a concerned Ty Lee not far behind.

* * *

Katara groaned as she regained consciousness. She attempted to open her eyes, but found that she was surrounded by total darkness. Her skull ached from the fall she had taken, so she closed her eyes again in an attempt to find relief. There was none.

Mentally checking over the rest of her body, she realized her wrists and ankles had been shackled together. Her arms were twisted painfully behind her, and she lay on her right side—her hip digging into the cold metal floor. The waterbender attempted to shift into a more comfortable position but found that her shackles were chained to the floor.

She took in a shaky breath then. _"We lost,"_ was her only thought before Katara broke down in tears. She continued to sob for long moments before finally getting herself somewhat under control.

The last thing she remembered was being struck from behind and losing her bending ability. _"Ty Lee,"_ she realized. Katara supposed she should be thankful that she was even alive, but in her current state, there wasn't a whole lot she could do. Whoever had prepared her cell had done so intelligently. By binding her arms, it made it impossible to waterbend. Not to mention, it was extremely uncomfortable.

Katara began to worry as her mind then moved away from thoughts about herself. It was clear to her that Zuko had been defeated by Azula. What wasn't clear was his fate. _"I don't even know if he's still alive,"_ she thought, biting her lip, trying to stop the next flood of tears that threaten to spill over. _"What were we thinking? Just the two of us going up against Imperial Firebenders during the comet. Just flying into the capital head-first without more backup. We were outnumbered. That was why Aang and I couldn't win against Azula in Ba Sing Se."_

She shook her head. It did no good to dwell on the past mistakes that were made. She needed to focus on the present and what the future might bring.

"_There is still hope. I have to focus on that. Aang is still out there. He will save us,"_ she told herself. Katara's belief in Aang was unwavering. She just hoped that she would survive in Azula's captivity long enough for him to rescue her. Her heart fell heavy again at the possibility of not seeing him again.

_"I should have told him how I felt when we were on Ember Island. Now I might never get the chance."_

* * *

Ty Lee watched as Azula's normally deep red aura—indicating her power and single-pointed concentration—was streaked with muddied red, lemon yellow, and dark green. The acrobat frowned slightly. The battle in the plaza had more of an impact on the Fire Lord's emotional state than she was letting on. Azula kept her face an emotionless mask, but Ty Lee could see that she was struggling with anger, resentment, and a fear of losing control of her newly gained power.

"Are you alright, Azula?" Ty Lee asked when they were finally alone. It was a brief reprieve.

"Perfectly fine, Ty Lee. He didn't so much as lay a scratch on me," Azula replied evenly.

Ty Lee shook her head slightly. "That's not what I meant."

"I know," she began, dropping her eyes from the acrobat's. She paused, thinking for a moment. "I don't know," she finally admitted. Ty Lee was the only one who saw this side of Azula, even though it happened infrequently.

The acrobat embraced her then, and the Fire Lord allowed herself to be held for a moment before pulling away.

"There's still a lot to be done," she said, the confident mask back in place.

"Do you need me to do anything, Azula?" Ty Lee asked softly.

"Actually, yes," she replied, pulling a small, white object from her pocket. "Take some Dai Li agents out to the coronation plaza. Capture the Avatar's sky bison. I want him alive."

Ty Lee nodded, grateful that she wouldn't have to watch Appa be killed. She had a love for animals, which was one of the reasons she enjoyed being in the circus so much. But she also realized Azula knew that about her, and if the Fire Lord had any intention of killing the sky bison, she would not have sent her to take care of this detail.

"I'll see you later," Azula said, allowing her eyes to soften a bit as she graced Ty Lee's lips with a kiss before turning to meet with her Imperial Guard.

* * *

As she walked down to the palace dungeon with two guards in tow, the Fire Lord allowed herself a moment to reflect on what had taken place earlier in the day. It was one thing nearly killing the Avatar—her enemy—but it was another matter entirely nearly killing her own brother. She would never admit it to anyone, but he had wounded her deeply. After everything she did for him—helping him to restore his honor in the eyes of their father, allowing him to come home as a war hero—he threw it away like it was nothing. He betrayed his country, his family—her. His return home was not a surprise to Azula, but it still tore at her. She had earned the title of Fire Lord. She had been a faithful servant to her father and to her nation. She was a hero in the eyes of the Fire Nation. What had Zuko done? Nothing but embarrass his country and his father—his Fire Lord. Yet, he came to take the crown from her as if he somehow deserved it.

Azula knew that Zuko had finally grown a backbone and was no longer fueling his bending with anger. He had come home with a purpose, and she knew he was there to kill her in order to take the crown for himself. And that was what bothered her most of all. It was the ultimate betrayal. She was determined to make sure Zuko never took her generosity so lightly again.

* * *

The sound of creaking metal jarred Katara from her thoughts. She looked up from her position on the floor to see flickering torchlight creeping in through the opening door, followed by the sound of falling footsteps. Ignoring her still aching head, she turned it to look up at her captor, who appeared as little more than a dark outline to the waterbender. But she knew without a doubt that it was none other than Azula.

A feeling of panic welled up inside her. _"She's come to execute me."_

Azula gazed down at her captive—a smirk now playing at her lips. "Glad to see you're finally awake, peasant."

"Go to hell," Katara spat out.

Azula's eyes flashed with mirth as one of her guards clubbed Katara hard in the ribs, causing the waterbender to cry out in pain.

"That's no way to talk to royalty. But what else should I have expected from peasant savages?" she said lightly before hardening her voice. "Break her arms."

Before she had time to even feel fear, Katara was roughly kicked onto her stomach, as a guard wrenched her shackled arms up behind her. The waterbender tensed, bracing for the inevitable. A second guard—the one who had hit her ribs—lifted his club up before smashing it down onto the girl's arms.

Katara screamed as the pain from the blow shot through her limbs. Tears streamed freely down her face as the guards released her. She barely noticed when Azula left the cell, leaving her alone in her suffering.


	6. Chapter 5: Twilight Fades

**Chapter 5: Twilight Fades**

After the day's battle, Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Suki had fallen into a quick slumber. General Fong and his Earth Kingdom soldiers had taken the defeated Phoenix King into captivity, giving the group a respite before they would rejoin with Zuko, Katara, and the Order of the White Lotus.

Less than an hour after falling asleep, Aang shot up in his bed in a cold sweat, panting for breath. It was enough to wake Toph, who was sleeping in another bed a few feet from him.

"You okay, Twinkle Toes?" she asked quietly, so as not to wake Sokka or Suki.

"No," Aang replied worriedly, once he got his breathing under control. "I had a horrible dream, although I have a nagging feeling that it's more than that."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I saw Katara. She was chained up in a dark cell. I heard her scream out in pain. It was so real, I could almost feel her," he explained, tears coming to his eyes then.

Toph wanted to tell him that it was just a dream and that Katara was fine, but Aang had always shared a special connection with Katara and often knew when something was amiss.

"Don't worry. If she and Sparky weren't able to defeat Azula, we'll go rescue them. We can defeat her, especially with the help of the Order of the White Lotus."

"They're all the way on the other side of the continent in Ba Sing Se. I can't wait for them to meet us here. I have to reach Katara now."

Toph realized he was right, and the fact that Aang was now a fully realized Avatar did at least help matters. "Okay, so we'll go to the Fire Nation first thing in the morning. But right now, we need some rest."

Aang sighed and reluctantly nodded in agreement before lying back down for a restless sleep.

* * *

The Fire Lord sat in her throne room—blue flames blazing around her and giving the room a decidedly different feel from its previous occupant. She thrummed her fingers restlessly against the arm of the throne, waiting impatiently for word from _anyone_ in the Phoenix King's Air Fleet.

Messenger hawks had been sent and now all she could do was wait. And think. She knew she had to prepare for the event that her father _might_ have been defeated in the Earth Kingdom, although she thought the fact to be highly unlikely. Despite that, her mind kept wandering to Zuko. He still had not regained consciousness and the healer who tended to him wasn't sure if he would. Azula wondered what her father would do with Zuko once he returned from battle.

Then there was the waterbender. Azula realized that keeping the girl's arms shackled wasn't enough. She knew how powerful a bender Katara was and would not take any chances with her, especially with a full moon coming up in four days. Of course, she didn't like to dirty her hands, so she let her guards handle that end of things.

A light knock on the door pulled the Fire Lord from her musings. A servant entered and bowed deeply before Azula. "My lord, Lady Ty Lee is here to see you."

"Show her in," Azula commanded, grateful for the break. She couldn't stop the small smile from forming on her lips as she watched the acrobat enter the throne room.

Ty Lee had never been in this room of the palace before, and the sight of Azula up on the throne wearing the robes and crown of the Fire Lord, surrounded by azure flames, took her breath away. It took her a moment to remember protocol—even though she thought it was silly at this point, considering Azula was her lover and all—but once she snapped out of her reverie, bowed down.

Azula knew the effect she was having on Ty Lee and loved the thrill it gave her. "You requested to see me?" she finally asked, allowing the acrobat to rise.

"Yes. It's getting late. You should come to bed now, Azula," Ty Lee said softly.

"I can't. I still haven't heard from my father or any of his forces," Azula replied, her brow furrowing slightly.

"I know, but you still need your rest. You know the Imperial Guard will let you know as soon as word comes in," she pleaded.

Azula sighed. "Fine," she agreed, getting up from her throne.

As she walked down the steps closer to Ty Lee, the flames surrounding the platform changed back to an orange-red. Taking the acrobat in her arms, she gazed deeply into her gray eyes. Ty Lee saw Azula lay herself bare in those golden eyes, telling the acrobat everything that she could never say in words. She understood perfectly.

Just as Ty Lee was about to go in for a kiss, a knock at the door interrupted them. Azula scowled slightly, but quickly realized it must be something important for her servant to interrupt while she was in the midst of a meeting.

"Enter," the Fire Lord commanded, pulling herself away from Ty Lee and holding herself with authority.

The servant then entered holding a scroll. He bowed before the Fire Lord before handing her the message. "Word has arrived from the Phoenix King's Air Fleet base, my lord."

Azula carefully unrolled the scroll. Her eyes narrowed as she read it over before her expression turned to one of disbelief. "It can't be."

"What is it, Azula?" Ty Lee asked.

"The entire air fleet was destroyed. And my father…" Azula couldn't believe what she was reading. It wasn't possible. How could he have been defeated by that airbending child, even if he was the Avatar?

Ty Lee looked at her worriedly and placed a comforting hand on the small of her back. "What happened?" she asked softly.

"This message said he was defeated by the Avatar," Azula said. It felt strange to say those words. She finished reading the rest of the scroll before continuing. "He's still alive."

"So he surrendered?" Ty Lee asked, shocked.

"No. The Avatar took his bending away," Azula finished, showing none of the nervousness she was beginning to feel.

"How? Does the Avatar use chi blocking like me?" the acrobat asked, glad that Azula's father was still alive, but she noticed the subtle tension that formed in her lover's back. Something scared her.

"It doesn't sound like it. They aren't really clear on what exactly the Avatar did, but whatever it was seems like it's permanent. The Earth Kingdom has taken him prisoner." She turned her attention to the servant, who was still waiting nearby for his Fire Lord's orders. "Send a message to General Chan in Ba Sing Se. I want to know what the status is of our prior Earth Kingdom conquests. I also want all of the remaining Phoenix King military forces to return to the Fire Nation immediately."

"By your will, my lord," he said before seeing himself out.

* * *

The muscles in Katara's arms and legs ached and the broken bones in her forearms throbbed painfully. She tried to bring her mind to focus on her breath, but she was too distraught. Azula had certainly made sure to create every weakness in her possible short of killing her, she realized. Waterbenders were essentially useless if they couldn't use their arms, and emotional distress inhibited their abilities as well.

"_Aang, please come. I need you. Please get here soon,"_ she repeated over and over in her mind until she finally passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

Ty Lee watched from her seat on the bed as Azula paced in her chambers. She knew better than to say anything right now, but that didn't stop her from being more than a little concerned. She could tell Azula was feeling the stress of her position as Fire Lord. There were a lot of decisions to be made, and there was still much uncertainty about the state of the Fire Nation military occupation of the Earth Kingdom.

Azula was a brilliant strategist, and part of what made her so successful was working out every possible scenario in her mind beforehand. However, this time, she was heading into unknown territory. What exactly had the Avatar done to her father? There was a lot of information that still needed to be gathered, and she knew it would simply be a matter of time before she would have to face him again. She needed to be as prepared as possible.

The Fire Lord was glad she had listened to her gut when determining the fate of her brother, the waterbender, and the sky bison. They were all very dear to the Avatar and by keeping them alive, she could possibly use any or all of them as some kind of leverage if needed. This was enough to finally get her mind to stop racing, and her body quickly followed suit.

She then turned her eyes to the acrobat who was waiting patiently for her to come to bed. Without a word spoken between them, Azula joined Ty Lee, seeking the kind of refuge only her lover could provide.


	7. Chapter 6: Into Uncertainty

**Chapter 6: Into Uncertainty**

Unable to sleep, Aang was up well before dawn. He glanced over at Toph, who was still fast asleep. Grabbing onto his robe, he slipped the clothing over his head and lightly hopped off his bed. As he walked out of the bedroom, his eyes fell on Suki, who was curled up against Sokka's side. Even in sleep, she was careful not to jar his broken leg.

Aang felt a pang of sadness at the sight, wishing that Katara was safe within his arms. Instead she was locked away in the Fire Nation. He was also worried about Zuko and Appa. Shaking his head, he headed outside where he saw General Fong looking out over the eastern sky watching the sunrise. Quietly, Aang stepped beside him.

"Good morning, Avatar Aang," General Fong greeted the airbender with a warm smile.

"Good morning, General Fong," he replied, doing his best to return the gesture, but failing miserably.

"Is something wrong?" the general asked, noticing the boy's somber mood.

"It seemed so simple: defeat Fire Lord Ozai and the war ends. I did that and yet there is no guarantee that the war will actually end."

"It will end. Ba Sing Se has been recaptured and the Fire Nation military has been weakened. You are now able to enter the Avatar State and control yourself while there. Fire Lord Azula and the Fire Nation won't stand a chance against you."

Aang stayed silent as he thought over the general's words. He made it sound so simple, but Aang knew in his heart that it wouldn't be so easy.

* * *

The Fire Lord watched from her throne as two old crones entered the throne room and bowed before her.

"Li. Lo," she said simply, indicating that they may rise.

"Fire Lord Azula," they both greeted her simultaneously as they sat back on their heels.

"We have heard about the fall of your father, the Phoenix King, at the hands of the Avatar," Lo began.

"He was stripped of his bending," Azula explained. "Do you know how the Avatar was able to do that?"

"Yes," Li nodded. "It seems the Avatar does not simply bend the four elements."

"He has learned the art of energybending," Lo added.

"And with this, he took the Phoenix King's firebending," they finished.

"Energybending," Azula said, trying desperately to ignore the fear beginning to lace through her. "Do you know how it works?"

"It is the ability to bend life energy. It is the oldest form of bending—older than the four nations and the Avatar himself," Lo explained.

"Before the time of Avatars, benders did not bend the elements, but the energy within themselves," Li added.

"In order to bend another's life energy, their own spirit must be unbendable, or they would be corrupted and destroyed," they explained together.

"So it has a weakness," Azula realized, brightening a bit at this tidbit of information.

"Yes," they confirmed with a nod.

"If the bender's spirit is the slightest bit bendable, then they will be infected by the spirit of the one they are bending," Li began.

"And the bender will be corrupted and possibly killed," Lo finished.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. The Dai Li captain entered moments later.

"Fire Lord Azula," he greeted with a short bow.

"What have you heard?" Azula asked him.

"A message has just arrived from General Chan. Ba Sing Se was recaptured for the Earth Kingdom by a group called the Order of the White Lotus, led by the former General Iroh," the agent informed her.

"Iroh truly is a traitor to the Fire Nation," she said with disgust. "What of the other Fire Nation strongholds in the Earth Kingdom?"

"Other than Ba Sing Se and Omashu, the Earth Kingdom remains under control of the Fire Nation."

"I want a report on everything that happened in Ba Sing Se and everyone who is involved with the Order of the White Lotus," Azula ordered. _"I'll take back that city eventually. But first I need to deal with more pressing matters,"_ she thought privately.

"By your will, my lord," the captain said before showing himself out, leaving Azula alone with her advisors once more.

"It's simply a matter of time before the Avatar will come here to fight you," Li stated.

"Along with your uncle and the Order of the White Lotus," Lo said.

"Perhaps it may be wise to reconsider tactics," they said together.

"Yes, you're right," Azula agreed.

"_I'm not stubborn like Zuzu. That was the one trait he seemed to pick up from our father. Unfortunately for my father, it was his only weakness,"_ she thought to herself. She knew her father wasn't perfect, yet he expected her to be. No, she expected it of herself. She would not fail where the Phoenix King had. _"If I learned anything from my conquest of Ba Sing Se, it's that you need to turn people's weaknesses against them."_ She smiled as a plan began to form in her mind. _"Let them come to me."_

* * *

Sokka looked at Aang worriedly as he explained his dream about Katara. His expression changed to one of concern as Aang told him that he was planning on leaving with Toph that very morning.

"You should wait for the Order of the White Lotus," Sokka said. "If you leave now, you guys will be at the same disadvantage as Zuko and Katara were. It will probably help if you brought even more reinforcements."

"I can't wait. Katara and Zuko are in danger!" Aang yelled, frustrated.

"If you leave now, it will be suicide, Aang," Suki explained.

"They're right, Twinkle Toes. You might be a fully realized Avatar now, but even you can't go up against an entire nation. We need to give ourselves the best chance to win, and the Order of the White Lotus will do that," Toph reasoned.

"Excuse me, everyone," General Fong interrupted as he approached the group. "Sokka, you wanted to know if any of the Phoenix King's airships were salvageable. We managed to capture one working airship."

Sokka smiled and looked at Aang. "Looks like you don't have to wait for the Order of the White Lotus after all. Take the airship. If you head to Ba Sing Se now, you can pick up Iroh and the others and will reach the Fire Nation by tonight."

"You aren't coming with us?" Aang asked.

"Believe me, I would love to put Azula in her place, but I won't be of any help with my broken leg."

"I'm going to stay with Sokka. Someone needs to look after him," Suki added with a soft smile.

"Bring Zuko and my sister back, Aang. I know you can do it."

* * *

Ty Lee brushed a strand of hair from Azula's flushed face before leaning down and placing a kiss on the firebender's lips. After long moments, the acrobat pulled away, gazing lovingly at the prodigy.

Suddenly, there was an urgent pounding on her door, causing Ty Lee to flinch. With a slight pout, she rolled off of Azula so that the girl could sit up. "Fire Lord Azula," came the guard's voice through the door. "The Avatar is heading toward the capital at this moment on one of our airships."

"Shoot it down," she called back, getting up from her bed and looking for her robe.

"We're trying, my lord." She could hear the uncertainty in the man's voice.

Azula cursed under her breath as she threw her robe around her. In a few long strides, she reached the door and threw it open. "How long until it arrives?"

"Approximately twenty minutes, my lord," he replied, being sure to avert his gaze from her body completely.

"Gather my Imperial Guard and meet me at the main plaza entrance in ten minutes," she ordered.

"By your will, my lord," he said with a bow before running off.

Azula closed the door and walked over to her closet to retrieve her armor and battledress. Ty Lee watched her with worried eyes before getting out of bed to help the Fire Lord dress.

"I want you to stay here," Azula told her once she was dressed for battle.

"Azula…" Ty Lee began.

"No," she cut the acrobat off.

"But why?"

Azula hesitated for a moment before looking at the acrobat. _"I don't want anything to happen to you,"_ she thought. "Don't fight me on this, Ty Lee," she chose to say instead before placing a fierce kiss on the girl's lips.


	8. Chapter 7: Disarm

**Chapter 7: Disarm**

Azula arrived in the main plaza with her Imperial Guards. The sun had set many hours before, but she could plainly see the last working Phoenix airship flying closer to the center of the capital. The Dai Li and hundreds of firebending soldiers launched a combination of earth and fire at the machine with nothing to show for it. The Avatar had encased the craft in an air shield, making it impervious to all attacks aimed its way.

Curious, and also wanting to make her presence known, Azula dropped into a firebending stance and began to circle her arms. The air around her charged, as she gathered the electrical energy within her core. Taking a deep breath, she shot her fingers up, releasing a bolt of lightning at the ship.

However, Aang's air shield was too strong, and her lightning attack did little to affect it. With a slight frown, she watched as the ship made landing in the plaza's center. Her guards and agents flanked along her sides, waiting for the Fire Lord's command should it come.

"Where is Katara? What have you done with her?" Aang demanded as he jumped from his place at the front of the airship. Toph, Iroh, and the rest of the Order of the White Lotus quickly followed after him.

"I see my brother has worn off on you," Azula said with a smirk. "So quick to get to the point."

"I'm not in the mood for your games, Azula. Give me back my friends," he said, pointing his staff at her in a threatening gesture.

"And why should I?" she asked, her smirk now turning into an amused smile.

"Because I'll do the same thing to you that I did to your father." His eyes narrowed. "I'll take away your bending."

"No, I don't think you will," Azula explained calmly, as she moved her eyes to the guards surrounding her. She brought her gaze back to Aang. "You value life, don't you, Avatar?"

The airbender gritted his teeth. He understood what Azula was implying all too well. Not only were his friends' lives on the line, but he would also have to kill Imperial Firebenders and Dai Li agents in order to even get to them. "What did you do to them?"

"All you need to know is that they are alive." She paused. "For now."

Aang let out a yell and lifted his staff. As he was about to slice through the air with it, Toph put his hand on Aang's shoulder in an effort to calm him. She knew that if they attacked now, it wouldn't turn out well. They weren't exactly in a position of strength. Slowly, he lowered his staff to his side. He was barely able to keep the tears from forming in his eyes. Normally it was Katara who would comfort him.

Iroh, who had been waiting quietly in the background, stepped forward to come beside Aang to offer his quiet support.

"We're willing to make a deal," Iroh finally said.

"And what's that? What do you possibly have that could be of value to me?" she asked, feigning disinterest, but inwardly readied herself. Her uncle was perhaps the hardest person to manipulate that she knew of.

"If you end the war, we will return your father to the Fire Nation," he offered, knowing that his niece did harbor actual feelings for the man.

"And why on earth would I do something like that?" she asked coldly.

"Because he is your father," Iroh replied, fully expecting this reaction. He didn't think she would actually agree to his proposal, but suggesting this served his purposes.

"You say that like it should mean something to me," Azula said, keeping her mask in place. Iroh always knew how to hit where it hurt, but then again, so did she.

"Then what do you want?" Aang asked, slightly shocked by Azula's seemingly cold reaction.

"It's simple, really. Surrender and return Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation or else Zuzu dies," she said, looking pointedly at Iroh.

Aang looked worriedly at Iroh, who wore a calm expression.

"Do you really want to be responsible for the death of your dear nephew?" Azula taunted her uncle.

"It's not up to me," Iroh said, his eyes filled with an assuredness that Azula didn't understand.

"Of course it's up to you. It's _your_ choice," she retorted.

"No, it's not. It's your choice, Azula."

She glared at her uncle for a moment before looking back at Aang. "What say you, Avatar? Do you want to be responsible for the death of your firebending teacher?"

Aang's eyes narrowed, but he understood what Iroh was doing by putting the decision to let Zuko live or die on Azula. They were calling her bluff, thinking that she didn't actually want her own brother to die. The Fire Lord quickly realized what they were doing and shifted gears.

"How about your waterbending teacher?"

That got the reaction she wanted.

"I swear if you lay a hand on her, you will never firebend again!" he threatened her, unconsciously taking a step forward.

"It's a little late for that, I'm afraid," she explained with mock sincerity. "You see, Katara is far too dangerous a bender to simply keep chained up."

"What did you do to her?" he growled, tears forming in his eyes.

"A waterbender with use of their arms is too risky. So I had them broken, of course," she said, her voice filled with mirth.

Toph felt her blood boil at those words and had to restrain herself from launching a rock at Azula's head. She knew the Fire Lord was just baiting them. Master Pakku's fists clenched at the thought of his student and granddaughter undergoing such an ordeal, but he too held back from unleashing an attack against the Fire Lord.

Aang, however, was unable to show such restraint, and his eyes flashed with rage. His tattoos began to glow as he ascended to the sky, transforming into the Avatar State.

Iroh looked decidedly worried. Surely Azula wasn't actually foolish enough to provoke Aang without some motive. Just what it was exactly, he couldn't be sure, but he was certain to find out soon enough.

The Fire Lord held up her hand, signaling to her soldiers and agents to attack Toph and the Order of the White Lotus. Azula then dropped into her firebending stance, anticipating the Avatar's inevitable assault.

Several firebenders began to blast the airship with firebombs and the machine went up into a fiery blaze, rendering it completely useless. There was no escape now, and the group would have to fight with everything they had against Azula's soldiers. They all knew the fate of the world hung in the balance with the battle that was about to take place.

Bumi stomped his foot into the earth, sending a fissure toward a group of approaching firebenders, launching them several feet into the air. The crazy earthbending king laughed before levitating stone from the plaza floor and firing them off at various soldiers and Dai Li.

Iroh and Jeong Jeong fought together with their backs up against one another, moving in a pattern similar to the dragons. Their flames moved about in a deadly dance, taking out soldier after soldier.

Pakku jumped into the troops of Dai Li, countering their rock gloves and earthbending attacks with a deadly combination of water and ice. Piandao quickly joined him and deftly dispatched the agents with a flurry of slices from his sword.

Toph trapped several firebenders in the ground and tried to make her way closer to Aang, who had backed Azula into the northeast corner of the plaza with his relentless elemental attacks. She noticed that all the soldiers had focused on herself and the Order of the White Lotus, leaving Azula to battle with Aang all alone. Toph found that more than a little odd and realized that something wasn't right.

"You should know something else, Avatar," Azula said, ignoring the bruises now forming on her body from Aang's assault. "I have your sky bison. I've always wondered what a bison steak would taste like."

He screamed and sent a powerful blast of air towards Azula. She threw up a wall of flame to block it, but Aang's attack proved to be too strong and knocked her back against a nearby wall—hard enough to send cracks through it. Pain shot through Azula, and she grunted as she fell to her knees.

Glaring up at Aang, she spit out blood toward his feet as he continued to advance on her—murder in his eyes. "You wouldn't kill my father, yet you would kill me," she taunted him, her blood now staining her lips. "I thought you valued life."

Shame filled Aang as he realized the truth of Azula's words, but he was still consumed with an incredible anger unlike anything he had ever felt before. The Fire Lord dropped her arms to her sides, allowing him to pin her to the ground with his earthbending. Had he been in a clearer frame of mind, he would have noticed her surrender. She smiled inwardly as Aang finally got close enough to touch her.

"Aang, no!" Toph shouted as she finally realized what Azula was doing.

But it was too late. Aang already had his hands over the Fire Lord's forehead and heart, his body beginning to shine with blue and white light. Azula felt his energy invade her spirit as her own body began to shine with red and orange light. It felt like she was drowning and for the first time in her life, Azula was truly terrified. Then she felt it—his weakness—and allowed herself a sliver of hope. She knew that in his rage, the Avatar couldn't maintain control. Determined, she pushed back with her own energy.

"_You may have a pure heart, Avatar, but I made your mind weak,"_ Azula thought triumphantly, and it was the last thing Aang heard as his spirit was consumed by hers.


	9. Chapter 8: The Dye Is Cast

**Chapter 8: The Dye Is Cast**

Aang saw the fire—felt it consume his spirit. He saw Azula's entire life as if it were his own—pain, manipulation, perfection, conditional love, rejection, blue fire, lightning. His spirit could not hold up the intensity of her life experiences, whether it was what was done to her or what she had done to others. His heart had not been sufficiently hardened. It was simply too much for the young Avatar.

With a pained gasp, Aang's hands released from the Fire Lord's head and heart and fell to either side of her body. His breath came out in ragged gulps, eyes unseeing. Azula gazed up at him, still trapped in her earth bindings. His face was scant inches from hers, and she could feel the heat of his breath on her skin. She was still experiencing the intensity of having her energy so intimately connected and at war with the Avatar himself, which was now only enhanced by the boy hovering above her.

There was an eerie calm in the plaza now, as all eyes were on the Fire Lord and the Avatar. Azula found the look in Aang's eyes to be slightly unnerving. He had the look of a frightened, wild animal. Suddenly wanting to get away from him, she lifted her legs into her chest and then pressed her feet against Aang's torso, effectively pushing the airbender away from her. Then, with a propulsion of flame from her hands, she broke out of the earth bindings and quickly got to her feet, assuming a firebending stance.

Aang continued to stare at the ground, his breathing labored. Now mere feet away, Toph decided to go to him. Her heart filled with dread, she cautiously placed her hand on his back, and he flinched slightly. His body felt hot to the touch.

She glared up at Azula. "What did you do to him?"

"I didn't _do_ anything to him," Azula replied. "He tried to energybend my life energy and he failed."

The realization of what had happened to the Avatar finally sunk in. There was a look of despair on the face of every member of the Order of the White Lotus, but they were not ready to give up.

With a swift movement of her arms, Toph lifted two slabs of stone from the ground and encased an off guard Azula in them. That was enough to get the battle back into full swing, but before Toph could get off a move that would crush the Fire Lord, the Dai Li had freed Azula from the rock.

"You have to try to get Aang out of here!" Toph heard Iroh shout from behind her.

"I can't do it alone!" she shouted back, positioning herself between Aang and Azula.

"Don't let them escape!" Azula ordered her soldiers before launching a succession of firebombs at Toph, who quickly covered herself and Aang in an earth sphere, protecting them from the Fire Lord's attacks.

"Iroh, go with them," Jeong Jeong said. "You're our grandmaster after all. If anyone can help the Avatar now, it's you."

With a grim nod, he agreed. "I'll need you all to help us clear a path and hold Azula's soldiers off as long as you can."

Bumi threw up stone walls alongside Aang, effectively blocking off Azula and the troops closest to them. Pakku sent a frozen arc of ice over the heads of the Dai Li, and he and Iroh slid along it, landing outside Toph's earth sphere. Sensing their presence, she released the sphere, and Iroh swiftly lifted Aang's feverish body into his arms.

"Get out of here, Iroh! We'll hold them off," Pakku said as the Dai Li began to break through Bumi's wall.

Toph and Iroh noticed the path that Jeong Jeong and Piandao had created for them and broke into a dead run.

"Where are we going?" Toph asked once they were a good distance from the battle.

"We're going to have to find something that can get us out of the Fire Nation, or at the very least, the capital."

"I hate flying, but I really wish we had Appa right about now."

Iroh's eyes lit up. "He must be around here somewhere. And I think I know just where to find him."

* * *

Katara heard the faint sounds of battle and could only hope that Aang was here to defeat Azula. Then there was silence for long moments, and Katara found herself holding her breath—holding out hope that he had won.

Without warning, the fighting started up again and she cringed. What had happened in those moments of silence?

Eventually, Katara started to hear sounds of a struggle outside her cell in the hallway. Then, without warning, the door of her cell was ripped off its hinges. She smiled weakly as she realized who it was. Seconds later, her arms and legs were freed from her shackles and strong hands helped her up—mindful not to jar the waterbender's broken arms.

"Hey, Sweetness," Toph said quietly.

"Toph," Katara replied, her voice raspy.

"Can you walk?"

Katara nodded.

"Good. We don't have much time. We have to get out of here." She had never heard that kind of urgency in the earthbender's voice before.

Not wanting to spend another second longer in this cell, Katara followed Toph out of the cell. She caught sight of an unconscious Aang in Iroh's arms, his face flushed with fever and his breathing shallow.

"Oh no… Aang," her voice broke, tears now flowing down her face. "What happened?"

"I'll have to explain later," Iroh said. "It's only a matter of time before those troops catch up to us. We have to go now."

Ignoring the pain in her arms and the ache in her heart, Katara followed Toph and Iroh out of the prison holding. She noticed the bodies of the fallen guards throughout the hallways, her eyes landing on the one who had broken her arms. She could only feel pity for the man now.

"Where are we going?" Katara asked as she tore her eyes away from the fallen guard.

"To get Appa," Toph replied.

"A friend of mine is helping us," Iroh added.

"What about Zuko?" Katara asked nervously.

"We don't know where Zuko is," he replied.

"Is he…" she trailed off, not wanting to actually say it.

"No. He is alive, but he wasn't taken to the prison. We don't know where Azula is keeping him," Iroh explained gravely as they turned yet another corner, reaching the prison yard.

In the center of the yard was a large metal cage that imprisoned Appa. The sky bison was shackled and chained to the cage and he wore a muzzle, inhibiting his ability to airbend. Katara gasped at the sight.

"General Iroh," a young woman's voice called out as she came out from behind the cage.

He smiled. "Ming."

She then brought down the front door of the cage, and Appa pulled against his restraints, trying to break free.

Running over to Ming's side, Toph released Appa's shackles. The sky bison murmured in appreciation, as he stepped out of his metal prison.

* * *

The remaining White Lotus members had finally been worn down and taken into custody. They were brought below the palace itself where each man was placed in solitary confinement.

The Fire Lord remained in the plaza as fallen troops were carried to the infirmary. She then caught sight of the Avatar's sky bison flying away from the capital city, but didn't seem too concerned.

"What do you wish us to do, my lord?" the captain asked, having noticed Appa's escape.

"Let them go. It's too dark and we don't have anything fast enough to catch up with the bison. The Avatar is useless now anyway," Azula replied assuredly before switching gears. "Inform all the men and women who fought today that they are invited to a banquet tomorrow night in honor of our victory."

"By your will, my lord," he replied with a slight bow, but he couldn't keep the smile off his face completely as he excused himself.

Azula smiled to herself. She knew how to instill and maintain loyalty amongst her troops. It was something her father had never learned to do. These men and women were willing to die for her because even at the young age of fourteen, she had been there, fighting alongside them.

* * *

"Will he be okay?" Katara asked Iroh, tears forming in her eyes. She wished she could waterbend to somehow alleviate Aang's suffering. Instead all she could do was watch him as Ming worked on setting the breaks in her arms.

Iroh shook his head sadly. "I wish I could say I knew, but I don't know. His spirit has been infected by Azula's."

"How did this happen? Why wasn't he able to take away Azula's bending like he did Ozai's?" Toph asked.

"Because his motivation was different when he fought Ozai. When he energybent my brother, his motivation was one of compassion. When he energybent Azula, his motivation was one of anger, which made his own spirit bendable."

* * *

"Fire Lord Azula, I have news about your brother."

"What is it?" she asked, easily hiding any anxiousness she felt.

"He has regained consciousness, my lord."


	10. Chapter 9: The Fire Lord's Peace

**Chapter 9: The Fire Lord's Peace**

Azula entered the healer's chambers to see Zuko lying flat on his back, his chest and arms wrapped in bandages. As a precaution, his wrists and ankles were shackled to the bed, which was bolted into the wall. When he recovered, he would join the old masters in the prison's dungeons.

The healer was busy checking the boy's vital signs to make sure everything was in order. A clearing of her throat got the man's attention. He abruptly stood and bowed.

"Fire Lord Azula."

Zuko cringed at the sound of that title before his sister's name. As she walked over to his bedside, he looked up at her uneasily.

"We won, big brother," she declared, placing what she intended to be both a comforting and cautioning hand on his shoulder. "After a hundred years of war, the Fire Nation is on the brink of laying claim over the entire world."

He closed his eyes as a wave of sadness overcame him. _"Aang failed. He didn't have what it took to defeat my father."_

"Don't look so glum, Zuzu," Azula's voice broke into his thoughts. "You're still alive, aren't you?"

His sister's statement struck him. He was indeed still alive, although he couldn't figure out why. Surely Azula wanted him dead. But he knew from the royal healer that after he fell in battle, the Fire Lord had ordered the best care for him.

"_She probably did that just so she could torture me later,"_ he thought, but dared not say the words out loud. If that wasn't her intention, he certainly didn't want to give her any ideas.

He opened his eyes to look up at Azula again. She was staring down at him with a strange intensity. "I hope you recognize what I've done for you, dear brother. Most people who are foolish enough to spurn my generosity don't get a second chance," she explained, thinking of Mai in particular.

"_Generosity?"_ he thought to himself incredulously, but he knew now was not the time to invoke Azula's ire. Not in such a vulnerable position. But there were so many things he wanted to know besides whatever Azula thought she was doing that was so "generous." Like what happened to his friends—his true family.

Azula continued to gaze at him, as if she knew the question he wanted to ask before he did.

"You've missed a lot in the last few days. I suppose I should fill you in," she began, almost conversationally as she took a seat next to Zuko. He unconsciously relaxed his shoulder as she moved her hands to her lap.

* * *

Aang's fever continued to get worse as the night went on. Katara kept a constant vigil over him, hoping her presence would somehow ease his pain. He hadn't opened his eyes once since they'd escaped the Fire Nation on Appa.

Katara noticed Aang's body beginning to shiver. Carefully, she curled her body against his as best she could given the limitations of her broken arms. She spoke in hushed tones to soothe him.

"Aang, I know you can hear me. Just hang in there. You'll make it through this. I know you will."

Iroh sat on the sky bison's head, steering the beast toward the North Pole. Aang's only hope now was a dip in the spirit oasis. If that couldn't cure him, then nothing would, Iroh realized gravely.

* * *

"So Aang defeated Dad?" Zuko asked surprised, clearly not expecting that to be the case based on Azula's words to him earlier. "Is he…?"

"Dead? No, but I'm sure he wishes he was," Azula said, but Zuko saw a flash of sympathy cross her face. "The Avatar—or Aang as you insist on calling him—stripped him of his bending." She paused. "But I avenged him."

"How?" Zuko asked, his tone part worry and part anger.

"I corrupted his spirit. He's lucky he's still alive," she smiled wickedly.

Zuko closed his eyes as he clenched his fists. He wanted to scream, but he was still too weak. After a few moments, he calmed down a bit.

"Where is he?" Zuko asked fearfully.

"He escaped with Uncle and that waterbender," Azula explained, seemingly unaffected by that fact.

A bit of pride shined in Zuko's eyes then.

"Don't look too happy, Zuko. That Water Tribe peasant will be useless for quite some time. And I still have all of Uncle's friends. The Dai Li are taking good care of them."

"Why do you ruin everything, Azula?" he asked in an angry whisper.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "And what, exactly, have I ruined, Zuko?"

"The world's only hope for peace."

Azula scoffed. "The war will be over soon—as soon as I recapture Omashu and Ba Sing Se. Then I can make a concentrated effort to lay siege to the North Pole. It's simply a matter of time until the world is at peace."

"That's not peace," he argued.

"And who gets to decide what peace is? The Avatar? Uncle? You?"

Zuko was silent for a moment before speaking quietly. "You're using violence to end the war, not kindness."

Azula laughed. "It's a _war_, dum-dum," she replied, using her old nickname for the boy.

"What about people's right to be happy?" he asked, grasping at straws.

"People are never happy, because they don't know what they want. That's why they allow themselves to be ruled by lords, kings, and chiefs. They don't know how to think for themselves."

"Do you?" A slight smirk came to his face.

"What's that supposed to me?" Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"You've always done exactly what Dad told you to do. You allowed yourself to be ruled by a lord. But now that he's not around, what will you do?"

"I will be the greatest Fire Lord the world has ever seen," she replied, rising from her seat. Before Zuko could retort, she continued, "Goodnight, Zuzu. Remember, I didn't have to be so generous."

It was a warning, he knew.

* * *

"How's your brother?" Ty Lee asked the Fire Lord upon her return from visiting with Zuko.

"The same as always. He's miserable," Azula replied with a smirk as her servants removed her armor. It had been a long night and it was finally taking its toll on the young Fire Lord.

Once the servants completed the task of preparing Azula for bed, they were excused. The prodigy then slipped under the silk sheets of her bed and into the waiting arms of her lover.

"I wish you had let me come with you tonight. I was really worried about you," Ty Lee confessed as she placed a kiss on the corner of Azula's mouth.

"I know, but everything worked out. We don't have to worry about the Avatar anymore," Azula explained, a satisfied smile coming to her lips. "Now let's get some sleep. Tomorrow, we celebrate."

* * *

Appa flew all night, faster than he ever had before. He knew that his young master was in serious trouble. Their group arrived at the North Pole a few hours past dawn, and Iroh directed the sky bison to land in the capital city's square.

Several young warriors ran to greet the group. As they caught sight of Ming in her Fire Nation uniform and Katara still in her Fire Nation prison garb, they displayed their weapons—choosing to air on the cautious side.

"Stand down," Katara ordered them. "We don't have anymore time to lose."

"Katara?" she heard Chief Arnook's voice before she saw the man.

"Chief Arnook," she replied, getting down from Appa. Toph followed shortly after with Ming's help—the frozen tundra a little too much for her bare feet—as Iroh lifted Aang out of the bison's saddle.

"What happened?" Arnook asked as his gaze fell on the unconscious Avatar.

"His spirit has been corrupted," Katara explained tearfully. "We need to get him to the spirit oasis right away."

Everyone rushed to the oasis, arriving there within minutes. Under normal circumstances, Toph would have been grateful to have her feet buried in the lush grass, but she was simply too worried about Aang.

Iroh placed the airbender into the small pool of water, holding him there as the two koi fish, Yue and La, swam around him. Katara was right beside the firebender. The water began to glow and soon parts of the Avatar's body did as well. Iroh noticed gravely that Aang's arrow tattoos weren't glowing, meaning the main chi lines in his body weren't flowing properly.

"His fever is gone," Iroh said quietly, much to everyone's relief.

Aang's eyes flew open then, as he gasped for breath. He tried to lift his arms, as if to defend himself against someone or something, before falling limp.

"What's wrong? What's happening to him?" Katara asked worriedly.

"It seems his mind has still not come back to him," Iroh replied.

Yue's spirit form came to them then, her luminous body floating above Aang's body. Arnook and his wife gasped, overjoyed at seeing their daughter again, even though it was under less than ideal circumstances.

The moon spirit nodded her head at Iroh, the elder firebender understanding her command. He removed Aang's body from the water and placed it on the grass.

"Yue," Katara began. "Can you heal Aang's mind?"

The spirit shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing more we can do," Yue explained regretfully. "He will be like this until the day he leaves this world."

"No…" Katara whispered, her head buried in Aang's chest as she wept.

Even Toph was crying now. Iroh wrapped a comforting arm around the young earthbender's shoulders as the tears fell silently down his face.


	11. Chapter 10: Live Wire

**Author's Note:** I was going to end the story in the last chapter, but I got attacked by a plot bunny, so I'm going to keep running with this for awhile longer.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Live Wire**

Azula cracked open her eyes, glancing over at the windows. The sun was higher than she was used to seeing it from her bed, but she had earned the right to sleep in for once in her life. Besides, today there shouldn't be a rush. It was going to be a day of celebration.

She glanced down at the lithe form wrapped around her body. Azula smiled. _"No rush at all,"_ she thought, as she closed her eyes and pulled her sleeping lover closer.

Ty Lee stirred from her slumber then. She gazed at the resting Fire Lord for a moment. Not for the first time, she worried about losing Azula. She knew that underneath the cold and calculating exterior the prodigy wore was a fire that burned with incredible intensity. The acrobat feared that the fire could go out and was determined to anything she could to keep it alive in Azula.

Azula felt Ty Lee's eyes on her. "Like what you see?"

"I do," she replied softly. Her usually playful tone was subdued by a level of seriousness. "I don't want to lose you."

Azula opened her eyes then, turning her head to face the acrobat's. "You're not going to lose me. The Avatar and the Order of the White Lotus have been defeated. No one can stop me."

"_No one except yourself,"_ Ty Lee thought, but chose not to say it. Sometimes it served her better to be subtler with Azula. "Just be careful, okay?"

Azula looked searchingly into Ty Lee's charcoal eyes. There was something worrying the acrobat, that much was obvious, but Azula wasn't in the mood for any kind of heartfelt talks at the moment. She glanced outside once more before gazing at Ty Lee again. With an impish smile she leaned in to kiss the acrobat. There was still plenty of time before duty called.

* * *

Zuko was hurting inside over the fate of his friends, but he was glad that they were all outside of the Fire Nation. He knew nothing good was coming of the Dai Li "taking care" of the Order of the White Lotus—they were being brainwashed in order to do Azula's bidding. Or at least, that would be the attempt. Zuko knew it wouldn't be easy to break the minds of great masters like them.

He was certain that he would see Azula again soon, and so not all of his hope was lost. So long as she would continue to see him, he figured there was a chance that _something_ could change.

Just as he thought, she came. This time it was the afternoon after the feast celebrating the Fire Nation's most recent and important victory—the defeat of the Avatar. As always, the Fire Lord carried herself with self assuredness.

"Hello, Zuko," she greeted him.

"Hello, Azula," he replied evenly.

A guard standing near his bed lifted his hand to strike the boy. Azula decided to let him, and nodded in silent permission.

Smack! "Show some respect, traitor! Greet your lord properly."

Zuko grimaced, both from the hit his head had just taken and from the words he was about to say. "Hello, _Fire Lord_ Azula," he gritted out.

Azula's amber eyes glowed with small triumph. She loved rubbing her superiority in her brother's face whenever the opportunity presented itself. "That's much better, Zuzu."

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"Do I need a reason to see my brother?" she replied with a false sweetness.

"Why didn't you just kill me?" He had been prepared to ask her this question the moment she came around again.

"I like having you around to torment," Azula replied with a smirk.

"Why is it so hard for you to tell the truth?" he retorted, not believing a word she said.

She regarded him for a moment, but chose not to answer him with words. Her eyes were amused, but Zuko was not about to back down.

"Dad would have killed me," he continued, knowing the painful truth that it was in fact his own father's commands that had driven his sister to try and kill him after his defection.

"I'm not Dad," Azula replied, matter-of-fact, crossing her arms in front of her.

He smiled knowingly at her—the way Iroh used to sometimes look at him when he was too stubborn to understand what his uncle was telling him.

"Zuko, don't mistake my generosity as weakness," she warned her brother. "Like I said, I like having you around to torment."

"Keep telling yourself that," Zuko shot back, his knowing smile now growing into a smirk.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously at him. When had this aspect of their relationship gotten so backwards? Normally it was she who was able to read Zuko like an open scroll. He never had a clue about her. But then again, he never really cared to before.

"Don't push your luck, brother," she threatened before turning on her heels and leaving the healer's chambers.

* * *

After picking up Sokka and Suki at General Fong's base, the gang headed to Kyoshi Island—one of the few relatively safe places in the world to keep Aang in his fragile state. It would also allow Katara and Sokka to continue to nurse their broken bones.

Once they arrived, the group was taken to one of the houses near the Kyoshi Warriors' dojo. Iroh helped Katara get Aang settled into his bed before Suki took him and Ming to meet with Oyaji. Despite the fact that they helped the Avatar, the natives of Kyoshi Island were still highly suspicious of anyone from the Fire Nation.

Katara sat along Aang's bedside, watching over him as Sokka rested in another bed across the room, keeping his leg elevated. Toph stayed nearby in case anyone needed help.

Aang was still laying unconscious on the bed. In his mind, he was reliving the moment Azula struck him with lightning in the crystal catacombs—only this time, he was seeing it through Azula's eyes and with her thoughts. It was perfectly quiet in his mind. Cold almost. Then there was pain. It hurt to bend lightning.

Aang's body suddenly spasmed. His eyes shot open. He could make out a figure looking down on him. Warm, blue eyes. It was safe. "Katara?" he whispered.

"Aang," she replied, her expression changing to one of hope.

His eyes closed then, and his mind was once again filled with fire and pain.

* * *

The Fire Lord sat upon the throne in her war chamber, looking down at a map of the area surrounding the stronghold of Omashu. Several of her generals had joined her in this meeting to help determine the most effective way to take back the city. The biggest problem was already out of the way—King Bumi was safely locked away in a metal prison. The Dai Li was in the process of making him less of a threat and hopefully an asset.

"With King Bumi gone, Captain Yung will be leading any kind of defense of Omashu. He isn't as clever as Bumi, but he is a strong leader and has the support of the people of the city," one of the generals informed everyone.

"The Earth Kingdom still hasn't given up on the idea of a trade-off: the Phoenix King for our stand down in arms," another general added, cautiously glancing up at Azula.

She knew the subject of her father was going to come up eventually in this forum. It was the 400 pound elephant mandrill in the room, and it needed to be addressed. The problem was, Azula wasn't quite sure _how_ to address it.

Honor was such an important part of Fire Nation culture and Ozai's ordeal completely dishonored him in the eyes of the nation—regardless of the fact that he has once been their Fire Lord. The issue now was what would their new Fire Lord do about him given the choice. Her own honor was unquestioned by the people, and she wanted to keep it that way.

"We will not stand down. Not when we are so close to victory," Azula said firmly, ignoring the guilt she felt for just leaving her father in the Earth Kingdom's clutches. _"He would have done the same to me,"_ she realized. _"And probably felt no remorse."_

* * *

"There has to be something we can do," Katara said, refusing to give up hope that Aang could recover, even though it had been days since the one instance he had shown that he recognized her.

"The lion turtle," Sokka said suddenly.

"Huh?" Katara asked.

"The lion turtle is the one Aang learned energybending from. Maybe he knows of a way to heal Aang's spirit."

"And just how are we going to find him, Snoozles?" Toph asked.

"Maybe Iroh knows how. Doesn't he have a connection to the spirit world?" Katara said, recalling the firebender's ability to see the aspect of the moon spirit that existed in Yue before she became the moon herself.

* * *

Zuko saw a figure hovering near the doorway of the healing chambers. He recognized who it was instantly.

"Hi, Zuko," Ty Lee greeted him.

"Ty Lee," he replied, a bit surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard that you were awake. Azula told me she's talked to you a couple times," she said.

Zuko nodded in affirmation.

"I need your help with something," Ty Lee continued.

He raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "My help? In case you haven't noticed I'm shackled up and guarded here."

Ty Lee sighed, offering the boy a small smile as she took a seat beside him. "Even imprisoned halfway across the world, your dad has a firm grip on Azula."

"He's had that kind of effect on both of us," Zuko explained. "It took me a long time to find my own path. I think Azula needs to find her own path too, even if she doesn't realize it."

The acrobat's smile grew. They were on the same wavelength.


	12. Chapter 11: Control

**Chapter 11: Control**

The second Ty Lee entered Azula's room she knew something was wrong. The Fire Lord was livid.

"The guards told me you went to see my brother," Azula seethed, getting right to the point as she advanced on her lover. "I want to know what you were talking about," she continued, her tone accusing.

Ty Lee was fairly certain Azula already knew the answer, as the acrobat had assumed anything she and Zuko talked about wasn't confidential. She had almost expected word to get back to Azula that she had gone to see the ex-prince. What she hadn't expected was this reaction from her lover.

"We talked about you," Ty Lee explained, knowing there was no sense in lying. "I wanted Zuko's advice."

"Advice?" Azula asked incredulously. "What kind of advice could my worthless brother possibly offer you?"

"Advice for helping you find your own path now that your dad is gone."

"And what makes you think this isn't the path I want?" Azula asked Ty Lee, who's back was now up against the wall. The Fire Lord was now scant inches from the acrobat.

"Because I know you, Azula," she replied, refusing to back down now. "Always trying to live up to your dad's expectations. What about your own expectations?"

"_I_ expect to be the best. _I_ expect to be a great Fire Lord. These are the things _I_ demand of _myself_."

"But at what cost?" Ty Lee pleaded. "Look at what happened to your dad."

"I'm stronger than he ever was," Azula retorted, her eyes blazing.

Ty Lee shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid that I'm going to lose you," she said. There was so much more she wanted to say, but she knew Azula wouldn't be receptive at the moment. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the firebender. Azula instinctively relaxed in her embrace but did not return it.

"I already told you that you aren't going to lose me," Azula insisted. Her voice had softened considerably, but she was still angry. The acrobat noticed that shade of dark green pulsing through Azula's red aura again. "Look, I know _you_ have good intentions, but my brother isn't to be trusted. The only thing he cares about is the crown on my head and getting it for himself."

* * *

Zuko was in a deep sleep when he felt himself grabbed and jerked up from his bed. A flame-retardant hood was thrown over his head as his arms were brought behind his back before being reshackled. It seemed a bit excessive to him, considering that he hadn't recovered enough of his strength to fight back.

He felt the hands of two guards fall on his shoulders and arms then, and they began to drag him out of the healer's quarters and down the hallway. Eventually, they reached the stairwell that led to the dungeons beneath the palace. Zuko could feel the temperature dropping, as he was taken lower down.

After several more twists and turns, he heard the sound of metal against metal as a cell door opened. The guards roughly threw him inside, and he landed painfully on his left shoulder. He felt cold metal around his ankles and his wrists as he was chained to the cell floor. Finally, the hood was removed before the guards brusquely left the former prince alone in his cell.

Zuko blinked but realized it did no good. He couldn't see anything. It was pitch black in his cell. With a pained sigh, he let his head fall against the cool floor, having a good idea what had invoked his sister's ire.

* * *

"Iroh, do you think you could somehow locate the lion turtle who taught Aang energybending? Maybe he could help Aang heal, and we know you have a connection to the spirit world," Katara explained.

"A lion turtle, hmm…" Iroh pondered the possibility of finding such a creature. He had assumed there were no more left. "It certainly can't hurt to try looking. He would be a part of our world, not the spirit world. In some respects it will make our job more difficult and in other ways, easier."

"So how will we find him?" Suki asked.

"From what I understand, lion turtles could communicate with certain humans through telepathy. I don't have any such power myself, but I believe I could make some kind of a connection with him through meditation." He paused, thoughtful for a moment. "Give me some time. This could take awhile," he finished before heading off for the mountains to meditate in silence.

* * *

Zuko didn't have to wait long for his sister to visit him in his cell. He figured he had only been in the dungeons for a few hours when he heard his cell door open. In walked Azula with two of her Dai Li agents, who were holding glowing crystals. The Fire Lord towered over him then and glared down at him angrily.

"Don't for one second think you can pretend that you give a damn about me. Maybe you've fooled Ty Lee, but you're not fooling me. You've never cared about me, Zuko. You've only ever cared about yourself."

"Like you should talk. The only reason you wanted me to come back here was to shield yourself from Dad, not because you cared about me."

"_That's not entirely true,"_ she thought, but she wasn't about to say it to him, especially since he made no attempt to refute that he didn't care about her. "Well, I guess you have a point there, Zuzu," she chose to say instead. "Maybe I _should_ kill you. After all, the only reason you came home was so you could kill me."

Zuko remained silent. It was true that he had come back to the Fire Nation to defeat his sister, and unlike Aang, he was willing to kill if it was necessary.

"You talk about peace and kindness, but when push comes to shove, you're just as ruthless as I am."

"You're wrong. I'm nothing like you," he argued, his temper flaring.

Azula smiled. There was the Zuko she remembered—the one whose buttons she could so easily push. But he saw her smile and reminded himself to stay focused.

"Do you sleep well at night?" Zuko asked her.

"_His mind really does work in strange ways,"_ Azula mused. "You know I can bend lightning, don't you?" she asked condescendingly, staring pointedly at his bandaged chest.

"You didn't answer my question," he replied, ignoring her mocking.

"I sleep just fine," she lied. During her waking hours, her mind was single-pointedly focused, but while she slept, she could never control her thoughts.

"Ty Lee doesn't seem to think so," he said. There was a gentleness to his voice that Azula wasn't expecting, but she found it disconcerting and irritating. Not to mention she was none too pleased with her lover sharing such personal information with a traitor, even though she meant well.

"She's mistaken," Azula replied testily. "But that's besides the point. I know what you're after. And you're not getting it."

* * *

Iroh found a secluded section on the mountaintop overlooking the ocean. After bringing his body into a comfortable seated position, he then brought his mind to focus on his breath. This helped to quiet his mind. After several moments of simply being in that space, he sent his thoughts out toward the ocean—out to the lion turtle.

"_Great master, I humbly ask for your guidance. The Avatar's spirit has been infected. He needs your wisdom once more."_

At first, he felt nothing, but Iroh remained patient. There was no need to force anything. His was certain the lion turtle—a master of energybending—would be able to sense his own life energy seeking his. Iroh would let himself remain open so that he could receive whatever the lion turtle would show him.

After several moments, the firebender became of a warm sensation at the center of his forehead followed by a vision of a small island. He then realized the island was moving, and that it wasn't an island at all. It was the lion turtle. The great beast was swimming to the south—closer to Kyoshi Island. Iroh knew then that he was coming for his pupil.

* * *

"Traitor. I should just kill him," Azula muttered to herself, but the idea of actually ordering Zuko's execution made her uneasy. But she didn't trust him either. Azula wasn't used to not knowing what to do, and she decided that she didn't like it one bit.

"Fire Lord Azula," Li and Lo interrupted her musings.

"The preparations for the taking back of Omashu are in place," Li said.

"However, we think there is a detail that needs to be changed," Lo added.

"Such as?" Azula asked.

"Let General Yao lead the attack," they suggested.

"What do you mean, let General Yao lead the attack?" she asked scathingly.

"It's too risky for you to be on the battlefield," Lo explained.

"Especially since you don't have an heir," Li added.

As much as she hated to admit it, the old crones had a point. Still, it just felt so wrong to wait at home. What if something went wrong that only she could plan for? None of the generals in her army matched her intelligence or her strategic ability even though they had more battle experience.

Sensing the Fire Lord's displeasure with their recommendation, Li and Lo offered her one final piece of advice. "In order to maintain control, you must learn to let some of it go."


	13. Chapter 12: Nightmares

**Chapter 12: Nightmares  
**

_The fallen Phoenix King's body was pulled taught with chains along a wooden platform, forming the shape of an "X." He was filthy and dressed in rags that barely covered his body and had him bordering on indecent. His golden eyes were dull and almost lifeless. Suddenly they widened as pain laced through him. The smell of burning flesh filled the air. His back body continued to be seared by a fire whip—a blue fire whip, which was held by the new Fire Lord._

_Eventually, the Phoenix King morphed into the exiled Fire Prince, but instead of his back facing the Fire Lord, it was pulled taught against the platform. His eyes were fixated on the crown upon the Fire Lord's head. Suddenly the fire whip transformed into lightning and pierced through his heart._

_He let out a howling scream, which began to change in its pitch. It was a woman's voice. And before her, the Fire Lord saw the exiled prince morph into the banished princess—her mother. "You are nothing but a monster," the princess accused, her eyes filled with utter contempt._

Azula's eyes shot open then, as her mind came back to its waking state once more. It was the third time tonight she'd had that dream. It was always the same—her watching herself from outside her own body until Zuko screamed. Then she would see everything through the eyes of her dream self and the hatred her mother directed at her.

One thing that was clear to Azula was the spotlight her dream cast on a painful truth: her family was broken. Everyone was banished, dishonored, or dead—the Fire Lord being the lone exception.

With a heavy sigh, she rolled over onto her stomach and let her eyes fall on the form of her sleeping lover. It felt like Ty Lee was the only one she could trust anymore, but things were a bit strained between them now—ever since Ty Lee had sought out Zuko's help. Azula wished they weren't.

There were so many things she wished could go back to the way they were before, but she would never admit it to anyone. _"If only Zuko hadn't acted so foolishly on the Day of Black Sun,"_ she thought before shaking her head. It didn't do any good to dwell, she realized.

Closing her eyes, she tried to fall back to sleep.

_She knelt before the soon-to-be Phoenix King waiting for him to command her to rise so they could lead the invasion of the Earth Kingdom together._

"_There has been a change of plans, Azula. I've decided to lead the fleet of airships to Ba Sing Se alone."_

_Alone._

_The word rang through Azula's mind painfully as a feeling of abandonment began to overwhelm her. Her father had abandoned her, just like her mother and brother. She was alone._

"No!" she shouted loud enough to wake herself from her dream. But that feeling was still with her.

And as had happened so many nights before, Ty Lee's arms were around the Fire Lord, holding her in a comforting embrace. Soft lips gently pressed down on hers. Slowly, the feeling of abandonment left her and was replaced by Ty Lee's love and acceptance, and the tension between them melted away.

But somewhere in the back of her mind, Azula knew her dreams would still torment her. They always did.

* * *

Zuko didn't know how long he had been locked in this cell. He had lost track of how many meals he had been given and the guards refused to speak to him. There were no windows, making it impossible to tell time. The only light source came in through the small viewer in the door, and all the torchlights in the hallway had been replaced by green crystal, giving his cell an eerie glow. Azula was taking no chances with him, despite his still being very weak from his injury.

He had no idea what she was thinking and wondered if she would have him executed. He had no regrets in his defection from the Fire Nation—except one. He regretted that Mai had gotten dragged into things, even though it was exactly what he had been trying to avoid when he left to join the Avatar on the Day of Black Sun.

It was in these lonely hours that Zuko had time to think about what he was going to do. He realized in was in no shape to escape anytime soon. _"Okay, so if I'm stuck here and Azula doesn't have me executed, what can I do?"_

The initial motivation he had for joining the Avatar was still with him. He wanted to do what was best for his country by ending the war. He wanted to help Aang usher in an era of peace and kindness in the world. Did he have to be on the throne in order to make that happen? _"Maybe not,"_ he mused. _"But could it really happen with Azula on the throne?"_

* * *

"He's almost here," Toph said as she stepped into Aang's room, waking Sokka and Katara.

"Who?" mumbled a sleepy and confused Sokka.

"The lion turtle. Iroh says we should take Twinkle Toes out on Appa to meet him."

Katara gazed down at Aang, who was in a restless sleep by her side. She had kept a constant vigil over him ever since they arrived on Kyoshi Island. She knew he was suffering, but with the lion turtle's impending arrival, she had hope that he could be saved.

Toph scooped Aang up in her arms, and Katara got up to follow them. She shared a meaningful look with her brother before stepping outside—one of cautioned optimism. Iroh was already waiting for them with Appa as the sun began to peak over the horizon.

The trip was mostly made in silence—the only sounds coming from Aang softly whimpering at the visions that were currently haunting his mind. He saw the world through the eyes of a younger Azula, in the throne room of the Fire Nation palace, bowing before the newly appointed Fire Lord Ozai. The heat of the flames were relentless, and he instinctively _knew_ that one perceived slight would end up in a fiery punishment. This was Azula's childhood—she could be nothing less than "perfect" and that feeling overwhelmed Aang's mind.

Katara rested the boy's head on her lap, humming a soft melody that her mother used to sing to her when she was younger and couldn't sleep. The contact with the waterbender could be felt by Aang, but there was little relief from the vision.

Iroh kept his mind focused on the lion turtle's spirit, allowing his heart and mind to remain open so as to find each other more quickly. It didn't take long. An hour after their departure from Kyoshi Island, Iroh spotted the beast. Guiding Appa down to the ocean, the sky bison made an easy landing in the water in front of the lion turtle.

The creature's head ascended from the ocean, his green eyes taking in the sight of the fallen Avatar, as Katara looked on in awe. Toph was unable to "see" due to being in the water, but knew she was in the presence of a great bending master.

"It is an honor," Iroh said, as he bowed humbly.

"Bring him to me," the lion turtle communicated telepathically to Iroh.

Obeying, the firebender lifted Aang out of the saddle and to the front of Appa's head. He propped the boy up into a vertical position, resting his body against his. The lion turtle then placed one claw over Aang's heart and the other at his forehead. The airbender's body jerked in reaction, but Iroh held him firmly. Using his energybending, the lion turtle was able to read the Aang's energy and see what disturbed him so.

Through his power of telepathy, the great beast's words filled the minds of Iroh, Toph, and Katara. "Aang's spirit became corrupted because the moment of anger he experienced while energybending left him vulnerable. I cannot remove the stain that is on his spirit completely, but I can help him find awareness of the world around him again."

"Is there any hope for him to completely recover?" Katara asked hopefully.

"There is, but it will take him time and much work to cleanse his spirit, and the memory of the one who infected him will never leave him. He can only hope to transform it."

The trio nodded soberly. "We'll do whatever it takes to help him," Katara replied with determination.

A glowing green light began to shine from the lion turtle's claws then, pouring into Aang's subtle body. His eyes shot open at the sensation as light continued to fill him. Clarity began to come to his mind and for a moment, he was aware of everything around him.

The light receded, and a small smile came to his lips as he closed his eyes once more. Iroh felt Aang's body go limp in his arms.

"What happened?" Katara asked nervously.

"He needs to rest. His mind has been tormented for weeks now," Iroh explained as he placed the airbender alongside Katara in the saddle. The waterbender placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, as Toph let out a sigh of relief. She could sense him through vibrations, and Aang felt much better to her already.

"Thank you, great master," Iroh said.

"Yes, thank you," Katara said softly and Toph echoed the sentiment.

"There is still great turmoil and unhappiness in the world. I can see that you are all trying to restore balance," the lion turtle began.

Toph, Iroh, and Katara nodded.

"Then before we part ways, there is something you should know. Like Prince Zuko, Fire Lord Azula is the great-grandchild of Avatar Roku. She possesses the ferocity of the bloodline of the Fire Lords, which is the dominant energy within her and has been for most of her life. The bloodline of the Avatars exists within her as well, but it remains mostly dormant—except when she sleeps. There is an inner struggle taking place in her unconscious mind."

"How do you know all this?" Katara asked. Both she and Toph were surprised by this news. Zuko had never told them of his ancestry. Of course, Iroh knew and he simply nodded to confirm what the lion turtle had said.

"In the process of energybending Aang, I could feel the energy of the one who had infected his spirit."

"And how does knowing this help us?" Toph asked.

"It can help you find another way to peace."

And with those words, the lion turtle lowered himself back into the ocean and drifted out to sea.


	14. Chapter 13: Scattered

**Chapter 13: Scattered  
**

"King Bumi's mind is proving to be unbreakable," the captain of the Dai Li informed the Fire Lord.

"What about the others?" Azula asked.

"Progress has been slow," he admitted.

"It's no matter. We don't need them. It would have made reconquering Ba Sing Se easier, especially since we know there are still members of the White Lotus who have remained there. But we can take it back ourselves."

"There is still the issue of Omashu," General Chan pointed out.

"I'm well aware," Azula said, annoyed. "After all, that's why this meeting was called to begin with. How great were the losses?"

"General Yao has reported that one third of the invasion force were killed or captured. They were ready for us. Our aerial attacks were ineffective, as the earthbenders used the underground tunnels of the city to their advantage. When the land force was sent in, they didn't stand a chance against Captain Yung's trap."

Azula rubbed her temples for a moment. Captain Yung was proving to be an intelligent foe, and Azula hated being so far away from the battle. Even more, she hated the fact that she had to leave it to General Yao to lead the invasion. They couldn't afford such heavy losses, and Azula was certain that if she had been leading the attack, this wouldn't have happened.

She knew that Li and Lo had a legitimate point in advising her to stay in the Fire Nation due to her lack of an heir. At the very least, someone needed to be here to watch over the homeland in her absence. _"If only I could be in two places at once."_

"_What would my father do?"_ she thought. _"Oh, right. He would have sent me."_ She paused in her musings. _"Turn their weakness against them."_

"King Bumi might prove to be useful after all."

"What do you wish to do, Fire Lord Azula?" War Minister Qin asked.

"We'll play a game of possum chicken with Captain Yung. Let's see how much they love their crazy old king," Azula said with a cold smile.

* * *

Aang groaned as his eyes opened. Blinking a few times, he looked up to see Katara smiling down at him. To her relief, there was clarity in the boy's gray. No longer did they have the quality of a frightened, wild animal that she sometimes saw when his eyes would fly open during one of his fits.

"Hey," she said softly.

Aang didn't say anything. He just took in the sight of the waterbender lying beside him. His mind was struggling, emotions conflicting. Part of him knew he loved her, but something else was there fighting against that feeling.

He closed his eyes in confusion. He saw himself standing in a small cell with Katara chained to the floor. He issued a command and her arms were broken. He felt a comfort in knowing that this powerful waterbender would no longer be able to bend. Then there was his vision at General Fong's base—and the fear and pain he experienced from not being able to help her.

Tears leaked out from his eyes. It was all so confusing. Aang then felt Katara gently kiss his cheek. His eyes cracked open once more.

"What's wrong, Aang?" the girl asked.

He was silent for a moment, taking in the sight of her again.

"Everything's all mixed up. I don't know where I end and Azula begins," he finally replied, his voice raspy with hints of anger, pain, and confusion in it.

"It'll be okay," Katara said, trying to assure him.

"It doesn't feel like it will be."

* * *

Azula walked purposefully down the hallway of the prison holding beneath the palace. She had just finished observing King Bumi's session with the Dai Li to see for herself his progress—or lack thereof. It had left her with little hope of that they would be able to break through that mind—confirming what the captain of the Dai Li had informed her of during the war meeting earlier.

There was one other person she intended on seeing while she was down here. Azula stopped in front of the door of Zuko's cell. She was still trying to determine what to do with him. His name—his honor—had been tarnished, and she had been sure to let everyone in the Fire Nation know it. It made him less of a threat. Legally, he no longer had a chance at the throne—he had been stripped of his birthright. She supposed she could just leave him in jail to rot, but her father would have expected a much steeper penalty.

"_It doesn't matter what Father would do,"_ she told herself. _"Father left you, remember? And he lost his honor to the Avatar."_

Azula shook her head, realizing that she was still just standing there. Straightening herself a bit, she entered. Zuko's gaze shifted up at Azula as she walked through the door. His golden eyes seemed warm despite the coldness of the metal cell. It had been awhile since she had come to see him. She expected to see defeat or resentment in his eyes—not this. Zuko seemed at ease, as he waited for his sister to speak.

"I want to know something, Zuko," she began. "Why did you turn against your country?"

"I didn't," he replied simply.

"How can you say that? You allied yourself with the greatest enemy of the Fire Nation."

"I did," he agreed. "But I did it to save our country."

"I think you truly have lost your mind. You are a disgrace to the legacy of Sozin."

Zuko didn't say anything. He closed his eyes, looking almost thoughtful. Disgusted, Azula turned to leave—wondering why she had even wasted her time talking to him.

"Wait," she heard Zuko say as she was about to close the door behind her.

Azula paused in the doorway.

"Do you remember, months ago when we were standing together in the Royal Gallery, and I asked you what you remembered about Fire Lord Sozin's history? And how he died?"

"I do," she replied, turning back around to face him and crossing her arms.

"After we talked, I ended up learning something that I don't think most people know. It was something that Dad definitely didn't want me to know. I doubt he wanted you to know either."

"Get to the point, Zuko," Azula said impatiently.

"The Fire Sages keep a secret account of Fire Lord Sozin's history in the Dragon Bone Catacombs."

This was news to Azula, but her face didn't betray the slight surprise she felt. Certainly what she had learned about the war was not the propaganda that was fed to the masses, but if what Zuko said was true… she would have to see for herself.

* * *

"How's Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked Sokka and Suki, as she, Iroh, and Ming entered the sitting room of the guest house.

"Not great," Sokka replied. "I mean, he's awake now, but he's not himself. It's like he keeps slipping back and forth between how he sees things and how Azula sees things."

"That's a little freaky," she replied.

"Tell me about it. That's why I'm sitting out here and not in our room. It's hard to see him like this."

Suki nodded her head sadly in agreement.

"Remember, the lion turtle said it would take time for his spirit to completely heal," Iroh said, trying to encourage the group.

"Katara's with him right now if you want to go in and see him," Suki explained.

The elder firebender smiled a bit and nodded. He tucked his hands into the sleeves of his robe as he entered the boy's room. There he saw Katara sitting beside Aang, who was still lying in bed. Her dedication to the young Avatar was unwavering. He admired her strength in the face of adversity—a defining characteristic of those from the Water Tribe.

"Good evening, Katara," Iroh said. "May I have a seat?"

"Of course," Katara replied with a tired and strained smile.

"Why don't you take a break? I'll stay with Aang for awhile."

Katara shook her head. "I'm not leaving him."

"Very well," he said before letting his golden gaze fall on the airbender. Cold gray eyes met his. He recognized the look—Azula often looked at him that way. Then there was a flicker of something else—a kind of warmth. But it was clear to Iroh that the Avatar was lost in more ways than one.

"What's happened to me?" Aang asked as he pushed himself up to sit.

"Your spirit has been corrupted by Azula. The moon and ocean spirits as well as the lion turtle have worked to heal you. But the rest you must do on your own."

"How?" he asked, almost pleading. He was desperate for some clarity—for the freedom from the conflict within his mind and spirit.

"You must meditate to establish a stronger connection with your own spirit and transform the imprint Azula has left on you. It will take time, but I know you can do this."

Katara took Aang's hand and squeezed it lightly. The boy offered her a weak smile. It was a start.

* * *

"I have one more card to play. If that doesn't work, then I am going to lead the invasion against Omashu myself," Azula declared.

"But you don't have an heir," Lo said.

"I'm well aware of that fact. Besides, I'm only fifteen. I have no interest in marrying yet, and my current relationship isn't exactly conducive to procreating," Azula said with a wry smile. "How can anyone possibly expect me to produce an heir right now?"

"When you are ready to take a consort, he or she would be next in line," Li replied.

"Until that time, simply naming an heir will suffice," Lo added

"So long as they are of noble blood," the old crones finished in unison.

* * *

"How was your day?" Ty Lee asked, placing a kiss on top of Azula's head as the Fire Lord took a seat in her chambers. The acrobat's fingers then began to gently knead the tense muscles of Azula's shoulders.

Azula murmured in appreciation before speaking. "It was fine, I suppose. War meeting, prisoner interrogation." Azula left it at that, and Ty Lee sensed not to push. Zuko was a topic that was no longer up for discussion after the Fire Lord discovered they had talked. Instead, the acrobat continued her ministrations, feeling the girl's muscles relax under her touch.

"Why don't you lie down, Azula? It will make this much more enjoyable," Ty Lee suggested with an impish grin as her fingers brushed against Azula's sides.

"I shouldn't. There's still some business to attend to," Azula said after she had stifled a moan.

"But it's nine o'clock at night," the acrobat argued, pouting her lower lip.

"I know. But it can't wait."

Just then there was a knock at the door, and Ty Lee stilled her hands and sighed.

"Enter," Azula commanded.

One of the Fire Sages came into the room then. Ty Lee raised both eyebrows in surprise.

"Fire Lord Azula," he began, coming to one knee. "I have brought the scrolls you requested."

"Good. Leave them on my table here," she said, gesturing to the small table she was sitting at.

The man did as he was ordered.

"You're dismissed," she said with a wave of her hand before picking up one of the scrolls.

The sage bowed and silently left the room.

"What is all this?" Ty Lee asked, sitting down beside Azula.

"Just brushing up on my history," she replied. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the disappointed look on Ty Lee's face. Azula sighed. "Why don't you get ready for bed, Ty Lee. I'll come along as soon as I'm finished."

This didn't placate the acrobat very much, but she knew Azula had a job to do. "You work too hard," she said as she got up to stand.

Azula raised an eyebrow. "I am the Fire Lord, you know."

"I know," Ty Lee said with a sigh as she wrapped her arms around Azula. "Don't be too long, okay?"

"I'll do my best," the Fire Lord replied with a half smile before drawing Ty Lee's head down for a kiss. After long moments, she pulled back, her amber eyes twinkled as she watched Ty Lee's flushed face. It amazed the acrobat that Azula's kisses still made her dizzy.

"Alright, I'll leave you to your work," Ty Lee said, finally pulling herself away from her lover.

The Fire Lord nodded at the girl, and then turned her attention to the alleged secret history of Fire Lord Sozin.


	15. Chapter 14: Legacies

**Author's Note:** Holy hell, people. I'm sorry it's been so long since I last updated any of my stories. Real life got in the way, and then I had a bout of writer's block so my creative energy went towards Fire Nation Week on deviantART and satisfying my need for more Tyzula fan art to exist in the world. Anyway, here's an update… finally. :P

* * *

**Chapter 14: Legacies**

_With Roku gone and the great comet returning, the timing was perfect to change the world. I knew the next Avatar would be born an Air Nomad. So I wiped out the air temples. But somehow, the new Avatar eluded me. I wasted the remainder of my life searching in vain. I know he's hiding out there somewhere. The Fire Nation's greatest threat—the last airbender._

Azula scowled a bit as she placed Fire Lord Sozin's final testament back in its case. She rubbed her temples to soothe the dull ache that was forming from lack of sleep. Despite what Zuko had said earlier, there wasn't much in the "secret" account that she hadn't known already, save for the fact that Avatar Roku had been a close friend of her great-grandfather. There had to be more to it than this. What, exactly, did Zuko learn that their father didn't want them to know?

Whatever it was obviously had something to do with swaying his allegiance, which she had known was shaky by the time she encountered him again in Ba Sing Se. But she honestly never thought he would have turned into a full-blown traitor.

The Fire Lord had no intention of going back to see her brother any time soon. At this point, he could waste away in the dungeon for all she cared. _"Fitting. He can share the same fate as Mai,"_ she thought, her eyes narrowing. _"Traitors."_ She was still bitter over what had transpired at the Boiling Rock. Mai had been a fool, and her treachery had been in vain because Zuko—as always—had failed.

If she was being completely honest with herself though, she supposed she could understand why Mai did what she did, but even now, it still bothered her. _"I love Zuko more than I fear you,"_ Mai had said. It was rather pathetic, if only because Zuko was.

A rustling of blankets behind her pulled Azula from her musings about her brother and ex-friend and over to her bed to see Ty Lee unconsciously rolling onto her back. The Fire Lord's amber eyes softened a bit as she took in the sight of her sleeping lover, her body awash in the pale moonlight that snuck past the curtains. The acrobat's sleeping form beckoned her to bed. Azula yawned as she got up to stretch before padding over to her bedside. _"Tomorrow,"_ she thought, as she slid between the sheets, _"I'll figure out what it was that Father didn't want me to know about."_

Azula experienced a small pang of guilt at the thought of her father. She quickly pushed it away, choosing instead to focus on the sleeping girl in her bed. A contented sigh escaped Ty Lee's lips as Azula pulled the acrobat into her body. Gray eyes fluttered opened before focusing on her lover. "Hey," Ty Lee murmured with a sleepy smile.

The Fire Lord smiled softly in response and kissed the acrobat's brow, before pulling back a bit to gaze at the girl's face. No one else got to see this side of the monarch, but Ty Lee was different from everyone else, Azula reflected. She always had been. The acrobat had been loyal and obedient and, as Azula had come to learn recently, it was because the girl actually loved her. It was something the firebender was still getting used to—having someone who truly cared about her without any conditions—but she found that Ty Lee helped ease the ache of her mother's neglect. The Fire Lord would never tell the girl this, of course, but somehow, the acrobat seemed to understand it better than even she could.

"What time is it?"

"Late," Azula replied. "Go back to sleep."

"Okay," Ty Lee agreed, not quite awake enough to argue, before nestling her head into Azula's shoulder and quickly dozing off.

The Fire Lord stayed awake a bit longer, just drinking in the sight of the acrobat. She hadn't forgotten about Li and Lo's directive, but she was hesitant to make any decisions in regard to naming an heir. That left her with the option of taking a consort. Azula smiled ruefully. If she were completely honest with herself, Azula couldn't see herself with anyone other than Ty Lee. There was no one else she could trust. _"Perhaps…"_ Azula's thoughts ground to a halt as something akin to nervousness crept in. It was too much to think about just yet. _"No. I'm only fifteen. Not even of marrying age."_

Not wanting to think anymore, the young ruler sighed and closed her eyes, hoping that her sleep would be peaceful for once.

* * *

"Still can't sleep?" Katara asked as she followed Aang outside of their guest home on Kyoshi Island.

The young Avatar shook his head without turning around to look at the girl. He stopped and stood at the railing of the front porch, gazing up at the waning moon. It helped to strengthen the waterbender in him, providing an antidote to the dominance of fire that now existed in his spirit.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked as she came to stand beside him.

Aang's face was grave as he continued to stare up at the moon. He was quiet for a moment before speaking. "I feel like I failed the world. It's just like Ba Sing Se all over again. I nearly died. If it weren't for the moon and ocean spirits, I would have." He paused and closed his eyes. "I acted so stupidly when I fought Azula. I was so out of control, and I put the world right back in peril."

"Aang, it's okay."

"It's not okay, Katara," Aang shot back, his eyes flashing open as he glared at Katara, causing the girl to flinch. "I have only one job to do as the Avatar, and I can't even do it if I don't know who I am. Half the time I think I'm Azula!" He fell silent as he looked away, struggling for the right words to explain his predicament. "It's exhausting having to keep reminding myself what's 'me' and what's 'her,'" he said, softer this time.

"But at least now you can recognize what's 'you' and what's 'Azula,'" Katara reasoned. "A few days ago, you couldn't even do that. Iroh said it would take time. You just need to keep meditating so you can be stable enough to energybend on yourself and fully cleanse your spirit."

"The meditation I did earlier tonight did help," he admitted, looking back at Katara. "And being under the moon with you—a master waterbender—helps too. But there's something I'm feeling that confuses me. A part of my spirit actually resonates with Azula's. Like some part of me exists in her and always has. But everything is still too muddled—I'm not sure what it means, and it scares me a bit."

The waterbender looked at him thoughtfully. "Well… the lion turtle did say that Avatar Roku is the great-grandfather of Zuko and Azula. He also said that knowing this could help us find another way to peace."

"Maybe that's what it is," Aang replied, his brow furrowing a bit. "I need to meditate again. I need to speak to Roku."

The young airbender then turned to walk into the house, as Katara let her arm fall from his shoulder and once again followed him. Aang came to a halt outside the small room, which served as his meditation chamber and turned toward Katara. "You should go back to bed. This might take awhile."

"If you need me, you'll know where to find me," she replied with a caring smile. The waterbender then leaned forward to place a soft kiss on Aang's cheek before heading back to their bedroom.

Aang felt a warm glow as he watched her go. His mind's eye briefly flashed to Ty Lee for a moment, the feeling of warmth remaining, before his eyes focused on Katara's retreating form once more. _"That was odd,"_ he thought, shaking his head and turning around to head into his meditation room.

The space was small, clean, and sparse. It contained only a cushion for Aang to sit on and a simple table with an incense holder. It was a special blend that Iroh had made for him, containing herbs that would help calm his mind. Aang placed one of the small cones in the holder and flicked at its peak with his fingers, producing a small flame to light it. Seconds later, he exhaled, extinguishing the flame and allowing the scented smoke to fill the room.

Taking a seat on the cushion, he then tried to quiet his mind by focusing on his breath. Images of fire and pain flashed through his mind's eye, preventing him from finding stability. Finally, after long minutes, he was able to reach a point to call on his previous incarnation—Avatar Roku.

"Avatar Roku, I need your help," he beckoned.

Instantly, the ethereal form of Avatar Roku came forth from Aang's heart center and settled in front of the boy.

"Hello, Aang," he greeted him, his brown eyes warm.

"Roku," Aang's voice was somewhat desperate as it broke. He struggled to find the right words. "I've failed," he finally said.

"You haven't failed. All is not lost," Roku assured him. "You can still end this war."

"How am I supposed to do that? My spirit has been infected by the new Fire Lord."

"I know that it's been infected. But there is a bright side, if only because of Fire Lord Azula's legacy."

"She's your great-granddaughter," Aang realized.

"Yes," Roku confirmed. "And just like your firebending master, Prince Zuko, you have the same spiritual connection to Fire Lord Azula. That connection can lead not only to your complete recovery, but to ending this war once and for all."

"So what you're saying is, since a part of my spirit already exists in Azula, and my spirit was infected by hers… if I can tap into that, I can speed up my recovery?"

"Exactly," Roku said. "And now I know what I can do to help you fix my mistakes of the past," he continued, a knowing glint in his eye.

"What are you going to do?"

"I have a connection to my descendants, you know. The time has come to use that to our advantage."

Aang nodded, thinking he had an idea of what Roku was alluding to.

"Until next time, Aang." His light body then projected forward, dissolving back into Aang. Short moments later, the airbender brought his awareness to his subtle energetic body, trying to apply what Roku had just taught him.

* * *

_Azula was pinned to the ground, her limbs bound by earthbending. She couldn't see her captor, but a red dragon flew overhead. It was eerily familiar, even though she had never seen a dragon in her life._

_Suddenly, before her stood an old man with a long white beard dressed in the robes of a Fire Nation noble. He looked down at her, his expression stern._

"_Fire Lord Azula, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world. You would be wise to reconsider your position before it's too late," he threatened._

"_Never," she retorted, her golden eyes blazing._

_His face hardened and his eyes began to glow as his body elevated off from the ground. "Then you shall pay the ultimate price," he spoke with the voice of all the Avatars before him. The man made a weaving motion across his body, creating a stream of fire interlaced with water, air, and rock that extended out like a snake. As he brought his arms down in a slashing motion, Azula's eyes widened in fear and she cried out._

The Fire Lord shot up in her bed, breathing heavily, her body shaking. _"That wasn't just a dream,"_ she knew. _"It was different from all the others. It felt too real. Could that really have been Avatar Roku?"_ She shuddered at the thought. It was one thing having to face Aang on the battlefield, but to have to deal with an Avatar in her own mind—especially while in a dream state where she had no control—was too much.

Warm arms snaked around her waste then, and Azula looked down to see concerned gray eyes looking back up at her. "You had another nightmare," Ty Lee said simply, rubbing her hands in a soothing pattern on the firebender's back.

Azula sighed and closed her eyes, scowling a bit as she did. _"How would Roku even be able to do what he did—invading my mind like that? He's dead!"_

"It was just a dream, Azula," Ty Lee encouraged. "Relax. It's okay now."

"No, Ty Lee," she argued, shaking her head. "It wasn't just a dream."


	16. Chapter 15: Peacemaker

**Chapter 15: Peacemaker**

Visions of Avatar Roku threatening to bring Azula to her end if she didn't change her ways continued to plague her mind as she tried to sleep, constantly awakening her. As a result, neither she nor Ty Lee got much rest. Currently, Azula was sitting up in bed lost in thought as Ty Lee lay beside her, watching. The acrobat couldn't help but notice how tense Azula's body was and the wariness in her eyes. Her aura was tumultuous—there was a definite element of fear warring with anger.

Ty Lee pushed herself up to sit and settled behind the Fire Lord, snaking her arms around the other girl's waist and pressing her body against her back. She placed a kiss on Azula's shoulder and felt the firebender relax slightly. They sat together like that for a few moments as Ty Lee continued to hold her.

"Azula, what's wrong?" Ty Lee finally asked, her voice quiet.

Azula was silent. Ty Lee began to wonder if she would even answer. Finally, she spoke.

"Avatar Roku, he…" Azula paused. "He's invading my dreams somehow, and I'm powerless to stop him. If I stay asleep, he'll kill me."

"You can't be killed in your dreams," the acrobat tried to reason, thinking that Azula was bordering on serious paranoia. Ty Lee began to rub her thumb up and down Azula's forearm in an effort to soothe her.

"You're wrong, Ty Lee," Azula said sharply.

They were quiet for a few moments before Ty Lee spoke again. "Azula…" she began hesitantly. "You know dreams aren't meant to be taken literally, right?"

"I told you before that this isn't just a dream," Azula argued. "It's really him. I can feel it."

Ty Lee bit her lower lip. If what Azula was saying was true, then it seemed her fear of losing Azula could soon become a reality. She hugged the firebender a little tighter.

"Maybe you should listen to him," Ty Lee suggested.

Azula tensed and her eyes narrowed. "I will _not_ be cowered into submission. Not when I'm so close to having the whole world under Fire Nation rule. Everything my family has worked toward would be in vain."

"So what will you do?"

"That's the problem. I don't know," Azula replied, frustrated. "I'll just have to stay awake until I can figure out someway to stop him." There was a pause before the Fire Lord suddenly turned around so that she could look at her lover. She took both of Ty Lee's hands in hers, golden eyes gazing intently at the other girl, before speaking again. "I'm the only one left who can rule the Fire Nation, Ty Lee. If something happens to me…" she trailed off.

Ty Lee tightened her own grip on Azula's fingers. "Don't talk like that," she said, her gray eyes moistening a bit.

Azula shook her head and pressed on. "Li and Lo have been telling me that I need an heir, and they're right. You're the only one I can trust."

The acrobat felt her pulse quicken a bit. Was Azula about to ask her what she thought she was?

The firebender's face flushed a bit as she swallowed. Ty Lee smiled a bit to try to put Azula's sudden wave of nervousness at ease. "Ty Lee," she began. "Will you be my consort?"

Ty Lee's eyes filled with tears of joy as she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around Azula and fiercely kissing her. "Yes," she whispered against the Fire Lord's lips before kissing her again. The passion quickly began to build between them, and Azula soon found herself on her back with Ty Lee trailing kisses along her collarbone while skilled fingers eased away the tension in her body. Azula wanted nothing more than to forget about the pressures of her title for just a little while, and Ty Lee was more than happy to oblige.

Despite the Fire Lord's earlier intentions of staying awake until she knew how to successfully deal with Avatar Roku, the impromptu round of lovemaking with Ty Lee left her exhausted, and she couldn't stop herself from falling asleep as the sun began to peak over the horizon.

* * *

After spending an hour in meditation during the night, Aang felt a bit more like himself and was able to get a solid night's sleep for once. When he awoke, he rolled over onto his side and saw Katara and Sokka talking quietly on the other side of the room. As if sensing the boy's eyes on them, the siblings paused in their conversation and turned to look at him.

"Good morning, Aang," Katara said, getting up from her seat and walking to edge of his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better," he replied, offering the girl a small smile as he sat up. She grinned back at him.

"Were you able to contact Avatar Roku?"

Aang nodded. "I still have a lot of work to do, but Roku gave me hope that we can still end the war."

* * *

_Azula found herself standing at the peak of a volcano. She could feel the heat of the magma flowing beneath the rock—the threatening power that the mountain contained should it erupt. She sensed movement behind her and whirled around, only to see Roku's dragon flying toward her. Her eyes narrowed as she dropped into a firebending stance. She could make out the man sitting on the top of his dragon's head._

_As they came closer, Azula thrust her arms forward to release a firebomb. To her dismay, nothing happened. Growling in irritation, she grit her teeth and tried again. Still, nothing happened. She caught sight of Roku's face. She thought he looked amused, which only served to ignite her temper more. Minutes later, the man's dragon made landing about twenty feet from where the Fire Lord stood. She refused to back down, even if it seemed her bending was failing her at the moment._

"_Your bending doesn't work here," Roku said as if reading her mind, easily climbing down from his dragon._

_Azula cast a dark look in the man's direction as he tucked his hands into his sleeves, a slight smile gracing his lips. This was completely different than the other times she had encountered him, and it unsettled her. His eyes held a kind of warmth that seemed oddly familiar._

"_Do you know how I've been able to reach you through your dreams?" he asked her._

"_I imagine it has something to do with some Avatar ability," Azula replied, her expression never softening._

"_If it were that, I would have reached out to your father and grandfather. But there's something you have that they don't."_

_Azula just glared at the man._

"_I know that you think that if you end the war now, your family's legacy will be in vain. But you only know half the story."_

"_What are you talking about?" she growled, becoming acutely uncomfortable at the realization that he could seemingly read her thoughts._

"_There is more to your family's legacy than you realize," he explained, taking a few steps forward and dropping his hands from his sleeves. Roku's expression hardened, and Azula instinctively stepped back, feeling almost like she did when her mother reprimanded her as a child. "I'm giving you a chance, but I'm warning you now—I will not make the same mistake I made with your great-grandfather Fire Lord Sozin all those years ago."_

_The volcano rumbled beneath her feet__—a symbol of the wrath that Roku could bring upon her should he so choose.  
_

* * *

Sitting down to meditate, Aang pressed his fists together near his core and closed his eyes. He focused his mind on the life-holding energy that flowed through his heart center and down his arms. The energy glowed a soft blue color. Using his breath and knowledge of energybending, he began to gently encourage his chi to flow through those energy lines. The anger that resided in his mind from Azula's spirit began to transform into love.

Next, the young airbender brought his attention to the upward moving energy in the area of his throat, which glowed a soft red color. Again, using his energybending, Aang moved this chi, smoothing out the energy lines that had been infected. The tendency to crave things that would ultimately harm him and those he loved began to transform.

Aang then focused on the downward moving energy in his pelvis and his legs. This energy glowed a soft golden color. The chi paths opened, and he felt the self-serving attitude that Azula had imprinted on him transform into one of service for others.

He then brought his awareness to the equalizing energy at his core, which glowed a soft green color. As the energy flowed around his navel and his back, Aang felt jealousy transform. This one was particular more difficult due to how surprisingly intense this affliction existed in Azula's spirit, especially in regards to Zuko.

Lastly, he focused on the energy that flowed throughout his body—the pervasive energy. It glowed as soft white light. Using his energybending, he moved this energy around his body, encasing himself in the sweetness of the transformation of his misunderstandings.

As Aang brought his meditation to a close, he realized that these obscurities that he had just transformed were about more than just his own spirit. He was beginning to understand how this could eventually lead to some kind of understanding between him and Azula.

Wanting to get some fresh air, the airbender walked out through the back door of the guesthouse only to find Toph and Suki training as Katara and Sokka looked on, their injuries preventing them from taking part.

"Hey, Twinkle Toes," Toph said, turning her milky green eyes in his direction while simultaneously throwing up a rock wall to block Suki's fan. "Wanna do some training with us?"

"Maybe later," he replied, sitting down next to Katara, sharing a brief smile with her.

"You better," the earthbender shot back. "It's probably time for us to take a break anyway."

"Good idea," Suki said, rubbing her upper arm, which was smarting from where Toph had managed to hit her with a rock earlier.

The two girls walked over to where the others were sitting to join them.

"How are you feeling, Aang?" Suki asked, taking a seat beside Sokka.

"Every time I use my energybending, things become clearer—both in my own spirit and how we can end this war," Aang said. "One thing I've learned from having my spirit infected by Azula is that she doesn't know anything else. She hasn't lived outside the Fire Nation like Zuko did. She hasn't seen the other side of things. I think if she did—if she could learn from her other legacy—she could find another path, like Zuko."

Toph snorted and laughed. "You know, this sounds a lot like when you thought you could turn Ozai good by showing him his baby pictures."

"And in case you've forgotten, she's the one who suggested burning the Earth Kingdom to the ground," Sokka added. "She's just as bad as her father."

Aang sighed. "Guys, I know you don't agree with me on this, but all people are capable of great good and great evil. They just need to be given a chance."

"Like you gave Ozai a chance," Toph realized.

"Exactly. He's still alive, and as long as he's alive, he can still change for the better. And by taking his firebending away, I did the best thing I could for him and the world. I still have hope for Ozai. And I still have hope for Azula."


	17. Chapter 16: Discovery

**Chapter 16: Discovery**

Azula walked purposefully down the halls of the palace toward her war room, doing her best to fight through the fatigue that tugged at her mind and body. She had managed to get in a few hours of sleep after her last encounter with Avatar Roku, but real life responsibilities soon interrupted. It seemed that her work was never finished, and lately, everything had only gotten more complicated.

Today was to be the day that the first part of her altered strategy against Omashu would begin, but after what happened with Roku, Azula was having second thoughts. "_I'm giving you a chance, but I'm warning you now—I will not make the same mistake I made with your great-grandfather Fire Lord Sozin all those years ago."_ She grit her teeth as she recalled Roku's warning. She hated not being in control, and she did not want to submit him. Maybe there was some way to outsmart him if she couldn't take him head on, but figuring out his weaknesses was proving to be difficult. She couldn't see a clear advantage.

"_Roku claims I only know half the story about my family's legacy. He might have just said that just to throw me off track, but I need more information regardless."_ The Fire Lord glanced at the candles on the wall. Based on how much of the wax had burned, Azula saw she had about an hour until her war meeting. Afterward, she was scheduled to meet with Li and Lo to inform them of her decision of a taking Ty Lee as her consort. Her advisors would then make an announcement to the Fire Nation, and a week later the ceremony would take place.

It had all happened rather quickly, but Azula knew she had made the right decision. She recalled how Ty Lee's face had lit up when she had asked her to be her consort, and Azula couldn't help but smile softly to herself. Memories of soft lips and warm hands on her body soon followed, and the Fire Lord felt a rush of heat at the thought.

Her mind continued to dwell on Ty Lee, who Azula knew was most likely practicing her martial arts in the courtyard at the moment. Unbidden, she felt a sense of gratitude that the acrobat had stayed with her after everyone else she cared about had betrayed or abandoned her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a small part of her feared Ty Lee would leave her as well even though the girl had promised that she wouldn't. Azula had spent her entire life watching people, and she had seen how quickly things can change. How quickly people can turn on each other. How easy it was for them to lie—after all, she was a master at it herself. Despite that, Azula found herself wanting to—no, needing—to believe that Ty Lee was telling her the truth. And on some level, it was frightening to trust the girl instead of trying to control her through fear.

She shook of her head, pushing her own uncertainty away, and smiled ruefully. Of course, she now realized Ty Lee had actually never feared her at all and served her because she loved her. The acrobat had taken a risk in revealing her true feelings to Azula—one that the Fire Lord doubted she would have taken herself. She had been taught that such things were a weakness and in a way, it was. Azula was powerless to stop it from happening, but she was finding strength there she had never known before, and it felt good. Her lover soothed her in ways she didn't even know she had needed.

Azula paused in her steps as she came closer to the entrance of her war room, and found herself standing at the end of the royal gallery beneath the portrait of Fire Lord Ozai. The firebender gazed up at the tapestry, taking in every detail of this man she had dedicated her life to. She hadn't even realized just how much pressure she'd been under until Ozai was gone. Certainly, there was pressure on her now—it was the reality of being the ruler of the world's most powerful nation—but at least she wasn't constantly striving for her father's approval anymore… was she?

The Fire Lord furrowed her brow as she continued to gaze up at the painting. _"What would you have me do now, Father? Should I defy Avatar Roku? Would you?"_ she wondered. _"Of course you would. You defied Avatar Aang, and now you're…"_ A wave of anger and guilt rose up in her, but she didn't know where to direct it. She felt anger at him for leaving her behind, for letting himself be beaten by a 12-year-old boy—Avatar or no. She was angry at the Avatar for taking away her father's bending and the Earth Kingdom for taking him prisoner. Then there was the anger she felt toward herself for leaving him in the clutches of the Earth Kingdom, and that led to the feelings of guilt.

"_But why should I feel guilty? You left me behind, and if you had taken me with you, we could have defeated the Avatar together,"_ she argued to herself, before feeling some of the negative emotion fade. _"But I still did what you wanted me to do. I did was I was supposed to do as Fire Lord. I kept the Fire Nation safe from the Avatar and from its traitor Princes Iroh and Zuko."_

Zuko. Her brother. He almost seemed more at peace locked up in the cell she had thrown him in than he did at any point before his defection. When she had seen him yesterday, he talked of the time the two of them stood in this very hallway. _"__After we talked, I ended up learning something that I don't think most people know. It was something that Dad definitely didn't want me to know. I doubt he wanted you to know either,"_ he had said.

She looked intently at the portrait of her father for a long moment. _"What was it that you didn't want me to know, Father? What did Zuko discover?"_ Azula toyed with the idea of visiting her brother's cell, despite her thoughts to the contrary the night before. She had some time before her meetings, and she wanted answers sooner rather than later._ "I don't trust him, but he knows _something_."_ Her decision made, she abruptly turned left and marched down the hallway that led to the dungeon below the palace.

* * *

Zuko lay in his cell, attempting to meditate despite the awkward position he was in. It was the only thing he could think to do, and it helped him keep his emotions more balanced. If he could stay focused, he knew he would be able to find a way out of this. That was his path; that was who he was—someone who kept fighting no matter how bad things got, and he was stronger for it.

The former price hadn't had his eyes closed for very long when the sound of metal against metal jarred him from his meditation. Opening his eyes, he looked up from his spot on the floor to see the imposing form of his sister in the doorway. He suspected what it was she wanted, and he couldn't help but think this situation was rather like the one his uncle had been in not too long ago. When it was him—so angry and confused, not knowing the difference between right and wrong—seeking out Iroh's advice. And yes, Azula wasn't struggling in the same way he had, but he knew from what Ty Lee had shared with him that she struggled nonetheless. He also realized that Azula had no real reason to trust him, and while it left a bad taste in his mouth to help her—whether she realized that's what he was doing or not—he knew he was acting in the best interest of the Fire Nation and the world.

"I read Fire Lord Sozin's final testament," Azula began, her tone cold as she stared down at her brother. "I doubt Father much cared if we ever found out that our great-grandfather had once been friends with Avatar Roku, so spill it, Zuko. What was it that you _really_ found out? Whatever it was isn't in the testament."

"You're only half right, Azula," Zuko replied, a knowing glint in his eyes. "I thought the same thing when I read our great-grandfather's scrolls. Remember, I had asked you how Sozin died and you told me, but I knew there was more. Eventually, I was led to believe the answers would be had in his testament. And there were answers to be found there, but not about Sozin. It turned out I had asked you about the wrong man." Zuko paused for a moment, taking a breath. Azula had an unsettling feeling about whatever it was he was going to say next. "We have more than one great-grandfather. Fire Lord Sozin is our father's grandfather, but our mother's grandfather is… Avatar Roku."

Azula was stunned. She didn't know what she was expecting Zuko to say exactly, but it certainly wasn't this. It couldn't be true. "You're lying," she said sharply, but there was some uncertainty in her eyes. _"He's in on this with Roku somehow, trying to trick me."_

"Why would I lie about something like that? It's the truth, Azula. If you keep looking through the scrolls in the Dragon Bone Catacombs, you'll find our mother's family tree there," Zuko said. "You'll see it for yourself."

Azula didn't want to believe it, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. This would definitely be something her father wouldn't want her or Zuko to know, and now what Roku had told her about only knowing half the story of her family's legacy made sense. However, if Roku was indeed family, that didn't make her feel anymore secure about the man invading her dreams. After all, she had seen the way her family members had turned on each other like spider snakes, and he had threatened her life outright.

Zuko watched as Azula seemed to mull this information over. He couldn't help but notice the expression on her face as she did this. She looked troubled to say the least.

"You know, that's probably why you can't sleep at night," he suggested and before Azula could retort, he pressed on. "I used to have the same problem. I was trying so hard to be the son that Father always wanted that I almost lost myself getting there. But there was something in me that fought against that, and once I finally understood it, I was free to become my own person and do what I knew to be right." Zuko then called forth the same words his uncle had used on him all those months ago. "Understanding the struggle between our great-grandfathers can help you better understand the battle within yourself. Evil and good are always at war inside us. It's our nature—our legacy."

Azula closed her eyes, wishing his words didn't resonate so much with her. It made too much sense and unsettled her greatly. "Good and evil are rather subjective things, you know," she finally said, glaring down at him and crossing her arms in front of her. "I know that you and the Avatar think that this war is 'evil,' but it's in the best interest of the Fire Nation and the rest of the world."

"And burning the Earth Kingdom to the ground is a good thing how?" Zuko asked, his voice hardening a bit.

Azula grimaced as she recalled how appalled Ty Lee was when she had told the girl that burning the Earth Kindgom had been her idea. At the time she had suggested it, Zuko had been getting all the praise—their father was showing him favor. He had even waited to start the meeting until he was there, and Azula could clearly remember the pride that shown in his eyes when Zuko finally arrived. She had wanted it back—the attention, the praise, and his favor—and so she had suggested something that she knew her father would praise her for. Only it hadn't worked out that way—the next day he had been furious with her. Zuko had defected and had told Ozai the truth of what happened in Ba Sing Se.

Resentment flared up in Azula then. "I don't have to explain myself to you," she spat, abruptly turning to leave Zuko's cell, slamming the door behind her.

The Fire Lord quickly made her exit from the dungeon, feeling as if her very foundation had been cracked. Her breaths were uneven, and she could feel her body shaking ever so slightly. Without even consciously realizing it, Azula's feet carried her toward the palace courtyard as her emotions warred inside her.


	18. Chapter 17: Crossroads

**Chapter 17: Crossroads**

Ty Lee was alone in the courtyard moving through her forms—as she was too tired to spar with anyone today—when she spotted the Fire Lord walking outside. She immediately stopped what she was doing as she locked eyes with her lover, who was clearly distressed. One look at Azula's aura told her everything she needed to know, and she ran to meet her halfway.

Upon reaching the girl, Ty Lee took Azula's hands, shaking with anger, into her own. Rubbing her thumbs along the backs of the firebender's hands in a soothing pattern, she gazed into amber eyes, and Ty Lee thought she had never seen Azula look so angry and confused. Impulsively, she wrapped her arms around the prodigy and pulled her into her body. "What's wrong?" Ty Lee breathed into the girl's hair.

Still tense, Azula let her head rest on the acrobat's shoulder, and her fingers clutched at the fabric of Ty Lee's tunic. "I have Avatar blood in me," Azula whispered angrily, her grip tightening around the cloth. "I have that treacherous blood running through my veins."

Ty Lee furrowed her brow in confusion, more than a little concerned about Azula's mental health, especially in light of all that went on last night. "What do you mean?"

"My mother," she gritted out. "Her grandfather was Avatar Roku."

Ty Lee's eyes widened in surprise. She hugged Azula a little tighter, unsure of what to say. She ran her hands up and down Azula's back in an effort to relax the tense muscles beneath the girl's robes.

They stood together under the late morning sun for long moments, Ty Lee only aware of Azula's breathing and her tumultuous aura—muddied red and dark green—surrounding them. The acrobat gently pressed her fingers into certain pressure points along the Fire Lord's back. After awhile, as Azula's chi began to flow better, the Fire Lord calmed down slightly, her breaths becoming more even.

"I don't know what to do, Ty Lee," Azula admitted in a rare display of insecurity. Her voice was quiet, and Ty Lee thought that it sounded pained.

"You don't know what to do about what?"

"Everything."

Ty Lee continued to move her fingertips along the firebender's back, encouraging proper chi flow, as she pulled back slightly to look at Azula. The young monarch was clearly troubled. "Let's go inside," she suggested. "I think you need a full chi-enhancement session."

"I can't. I have a war meeting in less than an hour."

"Postpone it." Her tone was firm but gentle. "The war meeting can wait. You need some time to rest and think about things."

Azula searched Ty Lee's eyes for a moment before dropping her gaze and letting out a long breath. "Alright," she agreed.

"Come on," Ty Lee said with an encouraging smile, taking Azula by the hand and leading her back to the Fire Lord's chambers.

* * *

Sitting silently in his meditation and working to purify his spirit, Aang had just finished working with the pervasive energy in his subtle body when Avatar Roku's soothing voice sounded gently in his mind. "Hello, Aang."

The airbender brought his awareness in front of him to see his previous incarnation and smiled slightly. "Hello, Roku."

"You're doing better, I see."

"I still have a ways to go, but, yeah, I'm getting there," Aang said with a slight nod. "Roku, you said you have a connection to your descendents. Do you know if Zuko is okay?"

The firebender's eyes smiled a bit. "As okay as he can be. Azula has him locked in the dungeon beneath the palace, but he's not in any immediate danger. His mind has remained strong, and he has never wavered in his path."

Aang felt incredibly relieved at the news. "That's good. And Azula? Were you able to reach her?"

Roku nodded gravely. "Through her dreams, I've been able to contact her."

"And?" the boy asked hopefully.

"She's stubborn, just like Sozin, but I know I've made an impact," he said with a rueful smile. "As you know, there are two strains of blood—two strains of spirit—fighting for dominance within her. The spirit of the Fire Lords is stronger in her and has been for most of her life, but she is not at peace because of this. It's been wearing on her recently, and she's been nearing a breaking point. One thing has kept her from slipping completely—the one person who has unknowingly kept the spirit of the Avatars alive in her over the years."

"Ty Lee," Aang nodded as he realized who Roku was talking about. "Through my energybending, I can see more clearly the imprint Azula left on my spirit. There is good in her, but it's buried deeply. It seems to come out more when she's with Ty Lee." He pursed his lips as he paused to think for a moment. "But that isn't enough, is it?"

"No, it isn't enough. She must consciously make the decision to fight against her darker side, like Zuko did. Otherwise, the world will continue to spiral further out of balance along with her."

Aang closed his eyes as the memory of his failure to stop Azula the last time they met, and a wave of guilt crashed down on him. "I wish there was more I could do."

"You've done all you can for now, as have I. The next move belongs to Azula. For now, you must continue to focus on healing your spirit."

* * *

Azula had stripped down to her underwrappings and was now laying face down on her bed with her eyes closed. Ty Lee was currently straddling the Fire Lord's backside and gently pressing her palms against points on either side of her spine. Azula's aura was still rather tumultuous, and in this position, Ty Lee could easily feel the other girl's chi with her own hands. This was different from the other times the acrobat had done this for Azula. While Azula was rarely balanced energetically, never had her lover been quite this conflicted before. Pooling her own chi into hands, Ty Lee lovingly moved them along the firebender's body in an effort to balance Azula's energies.

Since they were children, Ty Lee had been aware of another energy in Azula that occasionally wrestled for dominance, and the acrobat had always hoped to see more of it. It usually only happened when in the private company of herself and Mai. And since they became lovers, she had been seeing that side of her more and more. But she still wasn't at peace, and Ty Lee still feared that Azula would end up like Ozai—completely ruthless and only caring about herself and her own power—and that she would lose the girl she loved. After all, one of those energies would have to give eventually.

And now with this revelation of Azula's ancestry, it all made sense, and Ty Lee sensed this might be her best chance to get Azula to find her own path and not the one her father had forced on her and nearly forced on Zuko.

As Ty Lee worked, Azula tried to focus on her lover's touch and not the conflicting thoughts and feelings that were vying for her attention. The acrobat's hands moved up and down her back, palming along her energy lines. Azula's breath deepened as she felt Ty Lee's chi move her own. Slowly, Azula began to relax, becoming only aware of her breath, her body, and the skilled, loving hands touching her.

After an hour of Ty Lee working to balance and enhance her energy, most of Azula's tension and anger faded, giving way to the mental clarity that came from having her chi enhanced. Ty Lee's hands brushed the excess energy up and out from Azula's back three times before coming to rest along either side of the girl's torso. Leaning down, she lightly pressed her lips against the back of Azula's neck before nuzzling against her hair. Azula let out a contented sigh.

"Feel better?" Ty Lee murmured.

Azula hummed. "A bit."

"Good," Ty Lee replied, placing a soft kiss against Azula's jaw before pulling back and raising her hips enough for the other girl to turn onto her back.

As Ty Lee lowered herself back down to straddle Azula's waist, the Fire Lord brought her hands to rest on the acrobat's hips. Ty Lee lightly took hold of Azula's forearms and rubbed soothing patterns along them with her thumbs. Their eyes met, and Ty Lee smiled softly down at her lover. She saw that the tension had faded from Azula's face, but there was still some confusion showing in her golden eyes.

They stayed together quietly like that for some time as Ty Lee patiently waited for Azula to speak.

"Ty Lee," Azula began quietly. "What do you think I should do?"

"About what?" she asked, trailing her fingers up Azula's arms before threading them together with the Fire Lord's. Her thumbs continued to circle lightly against the firebender's skin.

Azula's brow furrowed. "I don't know exactly. I guess it's just strange to find out after all these years that I'm descended from an Avatar. It bothers me."

"I don't think that's a bad thing, Azula," Ty Lee said, raising Azula's left hand up to her mouth and brushing her lips along the girl's knuckles. "Avatars are powerful too, just like Fire Lords."

"Power has nothing to do with it," Azula argued, although her tone didn't carry any sharpness—Ty Lee's feather-light kisses keeping her frustration at bay. "The Avatar is the Fire Nation's number one enemy."

"It wasn't always like that," Ty Lee replied softly.

The words struck a sudden chord with Azula, and she quickly closed her eyes to think. Ty Lee gently lowered their hands to rest against Azula's belly, allowing the Fire Lord to focus.

In the quiet moments that followed, Azula mulled over Sozin's testimony in her mind. Roku and Sozin had been friends—_best_ friends. Yet, somewhere along the way, that changed. _"Why did it change?"_ Roku could not see the greatness of Sozin's vision. Still, he had spared him because of their friendship. Finally, Azula realized the cold truth—Sozin had betrayed his friend and left him to die all for his own ambitions.

It was a trait that her grandfather Azulon had inherited and as well as her own father. She swallowed as she realized a bit uncomfortably that she did as well. She had left her brother to die at the Boiling Rock, and had it not been for Mai, he would have. She had been intent on killing Mai for stopping her, and had it not been for Ty Lee, she would have.

And what for? Just so her father would be happy with her? But she knew her ambitions couldn't be realized if she didn't have her father's favor. And now—now he was gone.

Ty Lee saw the flare of dark blue in Azula's aura then and squeezed Azula's hands a little tighter, pulling her from her thoughts. The Fire Lord opened her eyes to see concerned gray looking back at her.

"You okay?"

Azula sighed and looked at their interlocking hands. "No," she replied quietly before sighing again and looking up at the canopy above her bed. "There's so much to do, but I don't know what do about any of it right now. Roku told me I have to end the war or else I would pay the ultimate price," she finished with a scowl.

Ty Lee chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully for a moment. "Forget about what Roku said for a minute. Do you want to end the war or continue it?"

"I want the war to end. 100 years is too long. The world should be unified under the Fire Nation by now. And I'm so close to doing that."

"That's true," Ty Lee said, gathering her courage, knowing what she was about to say could greatly upset Azula. "But it's obvious the rest of the world doesn't see it that way. If that's what everyone wanted, there wouldn't have been so much fighting the last 100 years. The world is really unbalanced and unhappy. And so are you."

Azula closed her eyes. Surprisingly, she didn't feel angry at what Ty Lee had said. She knew what the girl had said was the truth—she wasn't happy. The only thing that made her happy anymore was the girl currently sitting on top of her, but she knew that wouldn't be enough in the long run.

"I don't know what to do," Azula finally said, once again opening her eyes to look at Ty Lee. The acrobat thought she had never seen Azula look so confused. "I can't seem to make decisions as easily as I used to."

"When did that start to happen?" Ty Lee asked, picking up her tracing random patterns with her thumbs along the backs of Azula's hands.

Azula thought over the last few months, trying to pinpoint it. "The day of Sozin's Comet—after I fought Zuko," she realized. "I haven't really known what I'm supposed to do with him. My father would have expected me to kill him—those were his orders!"

"I remember," Ty Lee said with a sad nod, recalling Ozai's decree after Zuko's defection. It had been reiterated again before they had departed for the Boiling Rock. "So why haven't you had him executed?"

Azula turned her head and glowered at the mattress. She still didn't know. All she did know was that it didn't feel right. It was why she persuaded him to fight alongside her in Ba Sing Se instead of bringing him back to the Fire Nation as a prisoner. She had found a way around Ozai's orders that both immensely pleased her father and gave Zuko what he wanted. And for the first time, she consciously realized that she had been trying to piece back together her broken family.

But that was impossible now.

An unexpected wave of regret welled up in her, and she grit her teeth in frustration at the feeling. Noticing the shift in Azula's aura, Ty Lee tried to soothe her. "It's okay, Azula," she whispered before drawing the firebender's hands back up to her lips and placing light kisses against her fingertips. "Don't worry so much, you'll figure it out. I'll help you if you need me to. It'll be my responsibility once I become your consort, you know," she finished with a smile.

Azula couldn't help but smile slightly in response, and once again felt grateful that she had Ty Lee with her. She slowly disentangled her hands from Ty Lee's and brushed her fingers along Ty Lee's smiling lips. She then wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her down to lie atop her body until they were face-to-face. Their breath mingled, and Ty Lee's eyes shined with depthless love. Azula gazed intently at the acrobat. She knew she had a lot to think about still, but Azula didn't want to think anymore for the time being. She just wanted to get lost in Ty Lee. She leaned up and pressed her lips against the acrobat's, drawing her lover impossibly closer, and everything else melted away.


End file.
